RAMALLAH, September 14, 2017 (WAFA) – Bullying and pressure by some world powers led Palestine to agree to a proposal by the secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to postpone a vote on Palestine’s membership in the international organization, a statement by the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said on Thursday.

It said that following consultations with the Palestinian leadership and to maintain the current momentum of support and to build on it until the next session, it was agreed to postpone the vote.

It said this decision, which was met with satisfaction by the supporting countries, was made on the basis of Palestine’s right to resubmit its request for membership in the next meeting of the UNWTO’s general assembly.

The ministry said that while it had continued with efforts to join UNWTO, “it has realized during the meetings of the current session of the UNWTO general assembly held in China, and after assessing the positions of the member states, while taking into consideration the proposal of the organization’s secretary general which was based on what he had heard regarding the positions of many member states, it was decided to postpone Palestine’s application until the next session in order to maintain the current momentum of support and to build on it.”

It rejected Israeli claims that the postponement was a result of Israeli and American pressure, stressing that “the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the State of Israel do not have the credibility and influence to claim a success in something they do not deserve.”

The ministry added, however, that “if there was any pressure and threat, it was from superpowers which bullied and pressured the organization itself and many member states to disrupt accepting (Palestine’s) membership at this stage.”

M.K.