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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

UN ambassador speaks at Maurer

The Center for the Study of the Middle East welcomed the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, Dr. Riyad H. Mansour, Tuesday evening at Maurer Law School.

Mansour spoke to IU about the state of Palestine in the international arena. He spoke on behalf of the observer state of Palestine, expressing deep desire for peace between the Israelis and ?Palestinians.

Palestine has fought Israel on assertion of independence for 47 years, leaving the Palestinian people in a state of chaos and despair.

Because of the drastic controversy and conflict of political, religious and economic interests, the refusal has resulted in wars and acts of terror between the nations.

On Nov. 29, 2012, the U.N. General Assembly announced Palestine as an observer state with over two-thirds of member states voting in favor.

Being an observer state, Palestine was granted access to most U.N. meetings as an independent entity from Israel.

However, the Israeli state has refused to acknowledge Palestine as an existing or independent country.

Mansour insisted Palestine is an independent state, although the country continues to be under occupation by Israeli settlements.

The recognition from the U.N. as a non-member state does not grant Palestine the ability for full-membership rights of the U.N. The recognition does allow for admissions into other global organizations like the International Criminal Court.

Due to failing national security, Mansour has posed the idea of going to the ICC in order to bring justice upon those who have committed heinous war crimes in the Israeli-Palestinian territory.

In response to a question asked about the Palestinian extremists’ crimes, Mansour said he does not support the acts of these people.

He said those bringing extremist actions will push the situation to a state of religious wars — the opposite of the direction Palestine is trying to take.

He said the extremists are making the situation worse, but others who lack in advocating peace are just as responsible for the ongoing state in the Middle East.

He said the Palestinian people are “sick and tired of fighting,” and they will refuse to allow their people and homes to continue being destroyed from war crimes being committed.

Mansour said the Palestinian people beg for peace and ?stabilization between the two countries.

He said the only way Palestine will achieve peace in its country is by changing its negotiation tactics.

“This new method is peaceful, legal and ?civilized,” Mansour said.

During the course of next three years, Mansour said the government of Palestine will implement a “two-state solution” to end occupation.

The government has decided to do this by taking one year to negotiate a peaceful treaty between Palestine and Israel, then taking two more years to implement the treaty and ultimately end the ?occupation.

“Let us begin a new journey of healing wounds and beginning peace between two independent states (Israel and Palestine),” ?Mansour said.

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