Denia Ghaisani Awanis/1106016941 Committee Country Issue : General Assembly : Poland : Palestine

Poland's Foreign Ministry says that the UN General Assembly vote to give Palestine 'non member observer status', will not change the situation for Palestinians. Polands policy towards the Middle East is comprised of two instruments: its military presence (Iraq, Afghanistan) and peacekeeping missions (South Lebanon and the 4 Golan Heights), as well as development aid, which it has been deploying since its integration into the European Union. The Polish government identified the Palestinian Authority as one of its nine priority countries in terms of assistance and thus its policy responds to EU Council resolutions. However, its development assistance programme, remains a relatively small portion of the total EU contributions to the Palestinians. Poland maintains a policy of equal distance aspiring to keep good relations with both parties and appear as a neutral player. There is a belief among certain Polish policy-making circles that Poland can mediate between Israel and the Palestinians given its good relations with both parties, a lack transformation. Due to a common history with the Jewish people and a very complex and emotional relationship, Israel expects more of Poland than and any other EU members in terms of political support. Despite Polands desire to be neutral towards the conflict, the most common perception among Israeli officials is that Poland is Israels ambassador in the European Union. The vote last night in New York, held on the 65th anniversary of the adoption of UN resolution 181 that partitioned Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, came days after a ceasefire was agreed between the Israeli government and Hamas over the conflict in Gaza. of colonial past and the recent experience of structural

Poland's Foreign Ministry claimed that the vote to upgrade Palestinian status a step closer towards recognising it as an independent state - may, however, make it more difficult to return to direct Israeli-Palestinian talks, thereby halting progress in the peace process. The adoption of the resolution in the current circumstances will not change the actual situation of Palestine, says a statement by Poland's Foreign Ministry after the UN General Assembly voted by 138 for to 9 against, with 41 nations, including Poland, abstaining, to give Palestine the new status within the United Nations.

We believe that the only effective way of resolving the Middle East peace process is through direct negotiations between the parties, the statement continues, as opposed to unilateral measures. We call on both sides to return to the negotiating table, the Poland Foreign Ministry says. Although abstaining in the vote, Poland emphasised its support for Palestinian aspirations. Poland acknowledges that the national aspirations of the Palestinian people should be based on the two state solution, accounting for the Jewish state of Israel and an independent, democratic Palestine. We offer our share of international aid, supporting efforts by Palestinian authorities to carry out institution building. Poland is one of the few countries in the European Union which for years has hosted a Palestinian embassy benefiting from diplomatic privileges and immunity, the statement by the Foreign Ministry reads.