A Vietnamese diplomat to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has welcomed the recent progress towards general elections in Palestine as an important step for unity and reconciliation in the region. 

Political factions in Palestine have agreed to hold general
elections in may 2021. (Photo: Al Zajeera)

Addressing an online meeting of the UNSC discussing the Middle East situation on February 26, deputy head of the permanent Vietnamese mission to the UN, counselor Nguyen Phuong Tra called on Israeli authorities to facilitate the elections in occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

She welcomed an initiative to hold an international conference on the Middle East peace process put forward by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well as his efforts in order to achieve a comprehensive, just and long-lasting peace between Israel and Palestine, in accordance with the law and UN Resolutions.

Stressing the importance of confidence-building measures, the Vietnamese diplomat called on all parties concerned to refrain from any unilateral actions that could undermine confidence. She also welcomed Egypt’s recent move to lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip and called on Israel to take a similar measure.

With regard to humanitarian issues, Tra raised Vietnam’s concerns about the current situation in Palestine and urged international donors to continue their aid commitments.

Political factions in Palestine have recently reached a number of agreements on holding elections by the middle of this year, and Egypt has played an important role in supporting this process.

Statistics show more than 2.6 million voters have registered to participate in the elections, accounting for 93% of the total number of eligible voters. UN agencies have committed to providing continued support for election preparations in Palestine.