Mexico–Palestine relations

Mexico–Palestine relations
Map indicating locations of Mexico and Palestine

Mexico
Palestine

Mexico does not officially recognize the State of Palestine; however, it has maintained contacts with Palestinian representatives since 1975. Both nations are members of UNESCO.

History

Statue of Yasser Arafat in Mexico City

In the vote for the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine on 29 November 1947, Mexico was one of ten countries that abstained from voting.[1]

During multiple conflicts between Israel and Palestine, Mexico has remained neutral and has asked that both parties cease fighting and continue with the peace process.[2]

In October 2023, Mexico condemned the Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7th and the ensuing Israeli military response and has called for peace between both sides and for a two-state solution.[3][4]

Diplomatic relationship status

In August 1975, Mexican President Luis Echeverría met with head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Yasser Arafat, in Alexandria, Egypt and the Mexican government soon established diplomatic relations with the PLO.[5][6] That same year, the PLO opened an 'Information office' in Mexico City, which was elevated to a 'Special Delegation office' in 1995 after the Second Oslo Accord.[7]

In 2005, Mexico opened a representative office in Ramallah.[6] In 2011, Mexico abstained from voting for allowing Palestine to be a member of UNESCO.[8] In 2012, Mexico voted in favor of Palestine becoming a non-member observer state at the United Nations General Assembly, an upgrade from non-state observer.[9][10]

In July 2021, the Board of Directors of the Senate of Mexico made a statement related to the international recognition of Palestine. Stating that Mexico should recognize the State of Palestine to fulfill its international commitments, but reiterated that Mexico did not yet recognize Palestine as a state.[11] In November 2022, the Board of Directors of the Senate of Mexico asked the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs to take steps to recognize the State of Palestine.[12]

On 1 June 2023, Palestine announced its decision to elevate its Special Delegation office in Mexico to the rank of Embassy.[13] The Mexican government's website of diplomatic missions reflects this reclassification[14][15] but Mexico still calls its mission in Palestine the Representative Office in Palestine.[16]

Although the Mexican government has expressed support for international actions that legally recognize Palestine as a state,[17] to date the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs has not issued an official statement of recognition.

In October 2024, Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum called for recognition of the State of Palestine.[18]

Diplomatic visits and honors

In June 2000, Mexican Foreign Minister Rosario Green paid an official visit to Gaza City and Ramallah.[6] During her visit, Foreign Minister Green met with President of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat, and conveyed to him the message sent by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo formally inviting Arafat to Mexico.[19] Foreign Minister Green also met with the Minister for Planning and International Cooperation.

In 2009, Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki paid a visit to Mexico, becoming the first Palestinian foreign minister to do so.[6]

In June 2011, a statue of former President of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat, was unveiled in Mexico City.[20] In 2013, the Mexican Congress installed a section in its building to 'Mexico-Palestine Friendship'.[5]

In December 2018, Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki paid a visit to Mexico to attend the inauguration for Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.[21]

High-level visits

High-level visits from Mexico to Palestine[6][22][23]

  • Foreign Secretary Rosario Green (2000)
  • Foreign Undersecretary Lourdes Aranda (2009)
  • Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo (2009)
  • Foreign Undersecretary Carlos de Icaza (2013)
  • Director General for Africa and the Middle East Jorge Álvarez Fuentes (2017)
  • Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights Miguel Ruiz Cabañas (2018)

High-level visits from Palestine to Mexico[6]

  • Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki (2009, 2011, 2012, 2018)
  • Senior Diplomatic Advisor Majdi Khaldi (2009)
  • Governor of Ramallah Laila Ghannam (2014)

Bilateral agreements

Both nations have signed a few agreements such as a Twinning Agreement between the cities of Bethlehem and Monterrey (1999); Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretariat of Foreign Relations of Mexico and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian National Authority (2009), Agreement of Cooperation in the Health Field between the Secretariat of Health of Mexico and the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian National Authority (2011); and a Twinning Agreement between the cities of Ramallah and Toluca (2014).[6]

Financial aid and trade

In December 2008, Mexico made a financial contribution of US$50,000 to the Operation Line of Life in Gaza, of the World Food Programme (WFP), in order to help provide food assistance to 365,000 Palestinians, including 50,000 school-age children from 85 educational centers in the Gaza Strip.[6]

Building hosting the Representative office of Mexico in Ramallah

On 12 October, 2014, Mexico was present at the Donors Meeting in Cairo, Egypt for the reconstruction of Gaza, for which the Mexican government made a pledge to donate US$1.1 million to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.[6]

Mexico annually makes a voluntary contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). In 2017, Mexico increased its annual contribution to US$250,000.[6]

In 2023, trade between both nations totaled US$1.4 million.[24] Mexico's main exports to Palestine include: motor vehicles, medical instruments, chemical based products, bread and vegetables. Palestine's main exports to Mexico include: fittings and similar articles of base metals for furniture, doors and windows; transistors and similar semiconductors, nucleic acids and their salts, and electrical capacitors.[24]

Resident diplomatic missions

See also

References

  1. ^ 1947: The international community says YES to the establishment of the State of Israel
  2. ^ "México llama a poner fin a hostilidades en Israel y Palestina". El Economista (in Spanish). July 14, 2014.
  3. ^ "México condena "ataques sufridos por el pueblo de Israel"". Informador.mx. 21 April 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  4. ^ México llama a la paz entre Israel y Palestina: propone solución bajo premisa de dos Estados (in Spanish)
  5. ^ a b "CAMARA DE DIPUTADOS". www3.diputados.gob.mx (in Spanish).
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Oficina de Representación". oficinaenlace.sre.gob.mx (in Spanish).
  7. ^ "Las relaciones diplomáticas de México con los países de Medio Oriente" (in Spanish). September 14, 2014.
  8. ^ "México se abstuvo en el ingreso de Palestina a la Unesco". November 1, 2011.
  9. ^ "México vota a favor de Palestina pese a que no lo reconoce como Estado". El Universal (in Spanish).
  10. ^ Exteriores, Secretaría de Relaciones. "Mexico reaffirms its support for Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations". gob.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  11. ^ Senado reconoce relación diplomática entre México y Palestina (in Spanish)
  12. ^ Senadores piden que México reconozca a Palestina como una nación libre e independiente (in Spanish)
  13. ^ "Palestina reclasifica misión diplomática en México al nivel de embajada". El Universal (in Spanish). 3 June 2023.
  14. ^ Misiones Extranjeras Acreditadas en México (in Spanish)
  15. ^ Mexico Has Fully Recognized the State of Palestine
  16. ^ Atención consular a personas mexicanas en Israel y Palestina (in Spanish)
  17. ^ Exteriores, Secretaría de Relaciones. "Mexico reaffirms its support for Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations". gob.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  18. ^ "Mexico calls for recognition of Palestinian state amid war". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Gaceta del Senado". www.senado.gob.mx (in Spanish). Senado de la República.
  20. ^ "Erigen "primera" estatua de Arafat en Azcapotzalco" (in Spanish). June 30, 2011.
  21. ^ "Comienzan a llegar a México los invitados a toma de posesión de AMLO". El Universal (in Spanish). November 29, 2018.
  22. ^ "La diversificación de la política exterior mexicana en África, Medio Oriente y Asia Central (in Spanish)" (PDF).
  23. ^ Acciones de Política Exterior en África, Medio Oriente y Asia Central (in Spanish)
  24. ^ a b Data México: Palestine
  25. ^ Representative Office of Mexico in Ramallah
  26. ^ Embassy of Palestine in Mexico City
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