West Bank15 August, 20263 min read
Arab Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al-Yamahi Warns Slovenia Against Withdrawing Palestine Recognition
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Al-Yamahi sent letters to Slovenian and European parliaments rejecting withdrawal of Palestine recognition. He warned against relocating Slovenia's embassy to occupied Jerusalem.
Arab Parliament targets Slovenia
The Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Mohammed Al-Yamahi, sent official messages to the National Assembly and the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia and to the European Parliament, rejecting any approach aimed at withdrawing recognition of the State of Palestine or moving the Slovenian embassy to occupied Jerusalem. WAFA reported that Al-Yamahi warned that the letters came in light of reports about the Slovenian government’s intention to take measures that would constitute a clear violation of international law and resolutions of international legitimacy, undermining efforts to implement the two-state solution and end the occupation. In the same set of messages, Al-Yamahi emphasized that recognizing the State of Palestine is not a temporary political measure that can be reversed, but a legal and moral obligation tied to the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
Al-Yamahi also warned that moving any embassy to occupied Jerusalem constitutes a clear violation of Security Council Resolution 478 (1980) and contradicts relevant international resolutions, particularly Resolutions 242, 338, and 2334. The WAFA dispatch said Al-Yamahi urged the European Parliament to use all parliamentary and political tools to maintain the European position supporting Palestinian rights and to prevent attempts to legitimize occupation policies based on annexation, settlement construction, and the imposition of a fait accompli.
Letters follow Slovenian remarks
The Arab Parliament’s move was described as coming after remarks by Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa about his government’s intention to review the decision to recognize the State of Palestine and consider relocating the country’s embassy to Jerusalem. factjo said the previous Slovenian government had officially recognized the State of Palestine in June 2024, and it framed the Arab parliamentary letters as a response to the new Slovenian government’s statements that sparked domestic and international controversy. In his letters, Al-Ymahi warned that retracting recognition would undermine international efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state within the framework of a two-state solution.
The sources also tied the embassy issue to United Nations Security Council resolutions, with Al-Ymahi stressing that transferring Slovenia’s embassy to occupied Jerusalem runs counter to UN Security Council resolutions and the international stance on the city’s status. factjo further reported that Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar reaffirmed her stance in support of recognizing the State of Palestine and the two-state solution.
ICJ advisory opinion cited
Across the letters, Al-Yamahi cited the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice issued on July 19, 2024, saying it clearly affirmed the obligation of all states not to recognize the illegal situation arising from the Israeli occupation of the occupied Palestinian territories and not to provide support or assistance that contributes to its continuation. WAFA said Al-Yamahi warned that any withdrawal of recognition of the State of Palestine or any attempt to alter the legal status of occupied Jerusalem would only undermine the international order based on respect for international law and encourage the Israeli occupation to proceed with its expansionist policies. In the same framing, the Arab Parliament urged European lawmakers to oppose any actions that might legitimize settlement and annexation policies and the imposition of the fait accompli.
The sources also described the Arab stance as extending beyond parliament, with the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation previously warning of the repercussions of any Slovenian retreat. mوقع كلمة الإخباري said Arab political circles warned that any Slovenian retreat could set a precedent that threatens the unified European position on the Palestinian issue.