Statement by President Michael D. Higgins following meeting with the Ambassador of Palestine
Date: Tue 23rd Sep, 2025 | 15:08
President Michael D. Higgins, Uachtarán na hÉireann, today received the Ambassador of Palestine, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, at Áras an Uachtaráin on a courtesy call.
At their meeting, the Ambassador expressed her deep appreciation, on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian people, for the resolute support and solidarity of President Higgins, the Irish Government and the Irish people.
In a statement following the meeting, President Higgins said:
The recognition of the State of Palestine by a growing and significant number of countries at the United Nations at its General Assembly meeting this week is a moment of hope for Palestinians, and an important moment historically in terms of the recognition of the Palestinian people’s right to independence and sovereignty.
Beyond its symbolic importance, it is of the greatest importance that actions now follow this display of support in terms of providing for access to the humanitarian relief so urgently needed to address the malnutrition being imposed on the people of Gaza, for a ceasefire to be put in place, for all hostages to be released, and meaningful structures for a two-state solution to be enabled and achieved.
There is a responsibility on Member States of the United Nations to consistently apply the criteria of the UN Charter. Article 4(1) of the Charter, and the 1948 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the sufficiency and exhaustive nature of these criteria, are clear in this regard. Any additional conditions depart from this opinion delivered decades ago.”
ENDS