A/75/PV.68 General Assembly

We appreciate the holding of this joint debate in the middle of such serious circumstances, and we support the statement made by the representative of Azerbaijan on behalf of the 120 States members of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (see A/75/PV.67). The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela condemns Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of the civilian population in the Palestinian territories as part of a policy of aggression that is endangering peace in the region. We are witnessing a new military phase in the long colonial war against the Palestinian people, who have had a regime of ethnic repression imposed on them that is nothing less than a form of twenty-first-century apartheid. Israel continues to systematically perpetrate war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people. The past few days alone have seen more than 140 fatalities, including 39 children and 22 women and more than 1,000 wounded, as well as the destruction of hundreds of homes. Vital public and private infrastructure has been destroyed and lawful residents of the Sheikh Jarrah community in East Jerusalem have been forcibly evicted. Those actions have been accompanied by ongoing assaults by organized fanatical groups committing hate crimes and racist acts against innocent Palestinian residents in dozens of towns and cities throughout Israel. Israel has been consistently violating international law in the occupied Palestinian territories and has ignored its obligations under the relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions. It is extending its colonial occupation and apartheid by demolishing homes, expropriating land and buildings, expanding illegal settlements and perpetrating extrajudicial killings, mass arrests and ethnic cleansing. The attacks on holy sites are an affront to the Palestinian people’s religious sensibilities and exacerbate their collective suffering. The restrictions that the Israeli occupying forces have imposed on Palestinian access to Al Haram Al-Sharif, the incursion into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the firing of gas canisters and rubber bullets at worshippers are clear violations of human rights. There are two million Palestinians in Gaza who have been cut off from the rest of the world by Israel. In addition to the existing fuel, water and electricity shortages and communications disruptions, the bombings are destroying Gaza’s few health-care facilities in the middle of the most serious pandemic that the world has seen in 100 years. There are currently no laboratories to provide services for those who have been infected during the pandemic, while 58,000 newly displaced persons are seeking refuge from the indiscriminate attacks on the civilian population. That humanitarian catastrophe is the result of cold calculations on the part of the Israeli Government. In the face of such barbarity the Security Council is paralysed, owing to the obstruction of a single country, the United States of America. Its Government has prevented the adoption of a binding resolution calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The United States also refuses to endorse a joint statement calling on the parties to agree to a ceasefire. Even worse, it refuses to issue a simple press statement, the lowest level of action that the Security Council can take. The Government of the United States is thereby setting up a framework of international impunity that encourages the Government of Israel’s crimes, going so far as to impose sanctions on the judges of the International Criminal Court for merely investigating reported events. One cannot claim to defend humanitarian causes and human rights while the oppressed are punished and the oppressors are protected. The General Assembly and the Security Council must take immediate action to stop the hostilities, provide international protection to the civilian population of Palestine and prevent any crimes that violate the dignity and human rights of the Palestinian people. Those responsible for such crimes must be prosecuted under international law. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms its principled position on upholding the sovereignty, independence and inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. We support the Government of the Palestinian Authority and stand in solidarity with the victims and their families. We pledge to continue working for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. That is the just and lasting solution to one of the most unjust and painful conflicts facing humankind.

The major escalation of violence in the past few days has led to many deaths and injuries among civilians, including women and children, in Israel and Gaza. Germany strongly condemns the rocket attacks launched from Gaza against Israel, which have killed and injured civilians there. The indiscriminate firing of rockets by Hamas and other terrorist groups at Israeli population centres is unacceptable and must cease immediately. Israel has a legitimate right to defend itself against those attacks, which are continuing today. We also deeply deplore the killing and injuring of Palestinian civilians, including many women and children. Our first priority must be an immediate cessation of all violence and the implementation of a ceasefire. The fighting must stop, and it must stop now. Germany supports all efforts aimed at ending the ongoing violence and achieving an immediate end to the hostilities. Our Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, was in the region today to discuss the situation with leaders in Israel and the Palestinian territories. We are also gravely concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the current hostilities against the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza. They have resulted in a large number of civilian casualties, the displacement of more than 72,000 people and damage to vital infrastructure. It is essential to ensure that civilians, as well as critical infrastructure such as medical facilities, emergency shelters and schools, are duly protected. We reiterate that any military operation must respect the principle of proportionality. An immediate ceasefire is urgently needed in order to protect civilians and ensure safe, full and unhindered humanitarian access in Gaza. Germany is supporting the civilian population in Gaza with €40 million in humanitarian aid through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the World Food Programme. We remain deeply concerned about the situation in Jerusalem, where violent clashes have taken place in recent days, including in the Old City and on and around the Temple Mount, Al-Haram Al-Sharif, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque. We are also concerned about the increase in violence in the occupied West Bank since the postponement of the Palestinian elections. Those tensions predate the current escalation of the conflict and must be addressed with a sense of urgency. We remain seriously concerned about the threat of the eviction of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem and have repeatedly urged Israel to cease all settlement activities, demolitions, confiscations and evictions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, which are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a negotiated two-State solution impossible. We would like to remind the Assembly of the special significance of the holy sites and reiterate that the historic status quo of the Temple Mount, Al-Haram Al-Sharif, must be fully respected and upheld in line with previous understandings and respect for Jordan’s special role. The most serious escalation in Gaza and Israel in years underscores the urgent need to address the underlying root causes of the conflict in order to avoid future escalation and a recurrence of hostilities. Germany remains committed to a negotiated two-State solution in line with international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions and internationally agreed parameters, where two sovereign, democratic and independent States  — Israel and Palestine  — live side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders on the basis of the lines of 4 June 1967, with Jerusalem as the future capital of both States. Germany will continue working closely with Israel and the Palestinian Authority in order to help de-escalate the tensions that have built up in recent weeks, explore the space for re-engagement between the parties and promote confidence-building measures, with a view to restoring a genuine political horizon and facilitating a return to serious and meaningful negotiations on all final status issues. Only a negotiated, just and viable political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will end the devastating cycles of violence and enable all Israelis and Palestinians to live in lasting peace and security. Germany aligns itself with the statement made by the Head of Delegation of the European Union (see A/75/PV.67).

We are grateful to the President for convening this meeting, which is taking place at a crucial moment. We believe that lasting peace can be achieved only through a definitive and just political solution for the parties, based on the existence of two States and in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions. We regret the deterioration of the situation in recent weeks, voice our concern about the escalation of violence, and call on the parties to avoid aggravating the current conflict. It is essential to refrain from causing harm of any kind to the civilian population and to safeguard the lives and security of the people, in conformity with international humanitarian law. Ecuador condemns the launching of rockets and all attacks on the civilian populations of Israel and Palestine and urges both parties to immediately agree to a ceasefire. The hostility between the parties is unacceptable and has led to destruction and death, not to mention the fact that the two nations are under an obligation to comply with the norms of international law. Ecuador calls for an end to the spiral of violence and reiterates its belief in the right of both parties to live in peace and dignity. We would also like to emphasize the relevance of all the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council on the issue. We urge all the parties to step up collective efforts to begin credible negotiations and intensify regional and international diplomatic efforts to achieve a broad, just and lasting peace in the Middle East without delay. We believe it is essential for the international community to redouble its efforts to ensure that the sides resume meaningful negotiations that can result in a viable two-State solution. We call on the Security Council to adopt a decision on the issue as soon as possible that would include an immediate appeal for an unconditional ceasefire.

I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his statement earlier today and for the updates on the increasingly distressing situation, especially in the Gaza Strip. Ireland aligns itself with the statement by the Head of Delegation of the European Union (see A/75/PV.67). I would also like to thank Ambassadors Abarry, of the Niger, and Mimouni, of Algeria, acting on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Group of Arab States, for their request for the convening of today’s meeting of the Assembly. It is right and fitting that the Assembly should address the grave deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. As an elected member of the Security Council, we sit on the Council as a representative of the General Assembly. We deeply regret that despite four discussions in the Council, there has been no pronouncement on this issue. The Council has not yet lived up to its responsibilities in a grave situation. The past 10 days have been a nightmare for the people of Gaza and for many in Israel and across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Ireland shares the deep concern of the members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab Group. The appalling toll of civilian casualties, including scores of innocent children, is abhorrent, with too many lives disfigured by horrific injuries, families devastated and futures destroyed. Let us be clear. This is an unconscionable human tragedy. The Irish Government roundly condemns attacks on innocent civilians. No cause or objective justifies such loss of innocent life. We once again call for an immediate ceasefire. We are particularly concerned about the plight of the 2 million people trapped in the Gaza Strip. It is clear that they cannot endure another war. Years of illegal blockade have inflicted extreme hardship, including poverty, food insecurity and trauma. Repeated cycles of violence, and now the coronavirus disease pandemic, have further eroded coping mechanisms, leading to a mental health crisis whose worst impact is on women and children. Let us remember that civilians in Gaza have nowhere to go. They have no shelter. They are a population under siege, not just now but consistently, and that has to end. The most recent escalation of violence has made a terrible plight much worse. Ireland has pledged €1.5 million to United Nations agencies to assist in alleviating the impact of the crisis. Humanitarian access into the Gaza Strip must be ensured, especially through the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings. Israel, as the occupying Power, is duty bound to ensure safe, unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance and humanitarian workers. The Israeli authorities and Palestinian armed groups must immediately allow the United Nations and our humanitarian partners to bring in fuel, food and medical supplies, and to deploy, safely, humanitarian personnel. All parties must adhere to international humanitarian law and respect for human rights. The damage to homes, schools, hospitals and basic facilities for the people of Gaza is undeniable and unacceptable. The destruction of homes and damage to vital infrastructure, such as roads, electricity networks and water installations, is an affront and must stop. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) plays a vital humanitarian role on the Gaza Strip and must be protected. We see its work as critical and the damage to its facilities as outrageous. The damage to UNRWA buildings, including schools, is deeply concerning. Every child has a right to an education, but in Gaza, school means so much more to those children. Education is an opportunity for them to escape the grim realities of their daily existence, a chance to shape their future and dream of an escape from the desperate cycle of violence. As Ireland’s Foreign Minister said in the Security Council this weekend (see S/2021/480), children should never be prisoners of history. As we speak, those schools are providing shelter for more than 55,000 internally displaced persons. They must be protected, in line with obligations under international humanitarian law. I would like to pay particular tribute to the dedicated staff of UNRWA and other United Nations agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Red Crescent and non-governmental organizations that continue to provide critical services and support in the most harrowing circumstances. While the situation in the Gaza Strip is one of the utmost concern, we cannot ignore what is happening in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where the tensions and violence have reached their highest level in years. Since 10 May, 25 Palestinians have been killed, including four children. More than 6,000 people have been injured. We are deeply disturbed about the reported use of live ammunition by Israeli security forces in the context of protests and clashes in the West Bank. No force should be used against people who are exercising their rights peacefully. While today we are focusing on seeking a ceasefire, we cannot and must not shy away from the underlying issues  — Israel’s continued strategy of expanding settlements and the Israeli authorities’ discriminatory practices against Palestinians. Ireland has consistently and strongly opposed settlements and will continue to do so. They are illegal and fundamentally undermine a two-State solution and the possibility of a future Palestinian State. Actions such as the construction and expansion of settlements and the unnecessary destruction of private property contravene international humanitarian law. Repressive, discriminatory and provocative policies and actions take us even further away from the prospect of achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace. Ireland will continue to support all efforts to reach a ceasefire in response to the current hostilities. In that connection, Ireland welcomes the initiative that France took yesterday in presenting a draft resolution to members of the Security Council. We also commend the efforts in the Council by Tunisia, China and Norway to secure the adoption of a presidential statement. Ireland will continue to work with fellow Council Members to ensure that the Security Council finds its collective voice on the issue. We cannot return to business as usual after this. That is simply no longer an option. We cannot return to the flouting of international law through the expansion of illegal settlements into occupied Palestinian territory. We cannot return to forced evictions of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem and other parts of the West Bank. We cannot return to the demolition of Palestinian property, settler violence and intimidation. We must acknowledge that the fact that those actions have been occurring at an unacceptable rate for many years is a source of legitimate grievance among the Palestinian people and undermines the prospects for peace and reconciliation. The violence must stop. The indiscriminate targeting of civilians must stop. The rocket attacks must stop. The air strikes must stop. Progress requires dialogue, and ultimately there can be no substitute for direct negotiations between the two parties. It is time to look afresh at how the United Nations — we, the international community  — can help Israelis and Palestinians bring new momentum to resolving the conflict. We need an urgent and reinvigorated effort by the international community to restart political engagement and a process for a peaceful resolution. We all have a responsibility to get the parties back to the table where negotiations replace rockets and air strikes. It is the only way forward. Let me conclude by firmly restating Ireland’s commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

I am very grateful to the President for convening this important meeting at such a critical time to discuss the recent serious and accelerated escalation of events in the Middle East, which began with the provocation of the worshippers in Jerusalem at Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan. That escalation coincided with the displacement of a number of Arab populations of the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, accompanied by the confiscation and demolition of homes and the eviction of their residents. Those actions have provoked the indignation of millions of Arabs and Muslims in Palestine and throughout the world, and since then have turned into a full-scale military offensive, resulting in the killing and wounding of hundreds of people in Gaza and other parts of the West Bank. The Sudan condemns all acts of violence and any escalation of hostilities against the Palestinians. We stress that such acts of aggression will undermine the chances for achieving peace, along with all the regional and international efforts aimed at reaching a just political settlement and bringing about peace and stability in the region. Peace in the Middle East depends on achieving a just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. The Sudan reiterates its call for reviving the negotiation process aimed at establishing a Palestinian State within the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the concept of a two-State solution, international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. If we are to address the current situation and achieve a just and lasting peace, we need urgent action on the part of the international community, the United Nations and all its entities, along with all actors in the region and beyond, so that they can play their parts in taking the following steps. First, any form of escalation, and all unilateral measures involving the confiscation of property, the demolition of homes, the displacement of populations or the expansion of settlements must immediately cease to enable treatment for the injured, access for humanitarian assistance and post-conflict reconstruction. Secondly, confidence-building measures must be taken to foster political will and create an environment conducive to the resumption of negotiations for bringing about a just and lasting peace. Thirdly, immediate steps are needed to genuinely and seriously revive peace negotiations in order to reach a just and radical solution to the question of Palestine and achieve the peace and stability that the region so longs for. In conclusion, the Sudan reaffirms its principled position on the question of Palestine and supports every step taken to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East, based on a two-State solution, the relevant international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

I would like to begin today with a quote from Malcolm X, who said, “You can’t separate peace from freedom, because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom”. Peace in the Middle East will remain both elusive and illusory unless the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people are fully recognized and upheld. Their pain and suffering, endured in a protracted quest for peace and freedom, remain a serious stain on the international community. An immediate ceasefire is imperative, and we welcome the announcement by Israeli media just moments ago that the Israeli Cabinet has agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza. Hundreds have died and thousands more been injured following the recent escalations across the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines expresses its deepest concern, solidarity, and firm condemnation with regard to those abhorrent developments. As a matter of moral principle and international law, all the parties should work swiftly and collectively to de-escalate tensions, prevent further civilian casualties and address the dire and urgent humanitarian needs of the people affected by the crisis. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines calls on the parties to return to direct negotiations to find a lasting solution to the conflict. Future generations of Palestinians deserve to live, work and pray in peace and security within the contiguous borders of their own country, alongside a prosperous and secure State of Israel. The injustices meted out to the State of Palestine must end now. It is vitally important that all sides uphold and fully respect the integrity and status quo of the holy sites. Additionally, it is time that the international community revisited the question of Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations. The recognition of the State of Palestine’s legitimate sovereignty and statehood is long overdue and represents an essential component of a two-State solution, which remains the only viable path to peace and stability. We also underscore the urgent need for the international community to respond swiftly and generously to the emergency appeals by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to address the most pressing humanitarian needs in the Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza Strip. The siege of Gaza that has gone on since 2007 continues to inflict a severe cumulative toll on all aspects of life in the occupied territory. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines calls once again on Israel, the occupying Power, to immediately and unconditionally lift the blockade, as an essential step towards addressing the humanitarian crisis. Israel’s unquestionable right to exist in peace and defend itself does not and cannot give it unfettered licence to occupy Palestine or to oppress and suppress the sovereign rights of the Palestinian people. Furthermore, direct and indiscriminate attacks on civilians are prohibited by international law, and the necessary precautions must be taken at all times to avoid civilian casualties. We therefore reiterate our call for compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law and for a commitment by all parties to justice and our common humanity. In conclusion, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reaffirms that an internationally agreed two-State solution, based on the pre-1967 borders, remains the most credible path to resolving this issue. Only through dialogue and good-faith negotiations that are respectful of the bedrock principles of international law can security for Israel and the State of Palestine be assured and Palestinian claims to dignity, equality and human rights honoured. The international community must deepen its commitment to taking the political, diplomatic and legal steps necessary to de-escalate tensions. The imperative is clear. We must stand together firmly and resolutely and demand peace and justice for all. Now is the time.

Malaysia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Azerbaijan on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (see A/75/PV.67) and the statement to be delivered on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Malaysia welcomes the timely convening of today’s meeting, which enables the General Assembly to deliver a strong message about the dire and deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. The excessive use of force in the occupied West Bank, including in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, is inhumane, unjustifiable and unacceptable. Palestinian civilians, including women and children, have been killed and injured. Homes and buildings, including medical facilities, humanitarian infrastructure and media offices, have been damaged or completely destroyed. Malaysia strongly condemns such heinous acts. The cycle of violence and bloodshed must end. We call for an immediate ceasefire and a cessation of hostilities. Regrettably, we are once again witnessing the absence of a unified voice in the Security Council with regard to the Palestinian question. Malaysia joins the global call on the Council to shoulder its responsibility to maintain peace and security. The Council must act swiftly and speak with one voice in order to respond decisively to the series of Israeli aggressions. It cannot remain silent and oblivious. Every day of inaction is another lost in the work of saving innocent lives, especially those of children. The international community should robustly pursue all legal, political and economic channels to put pressure on Israel. The occupying Power must be made to fully comply with its obligations as prescribed in the relevant United Nations resolutions and international law, as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Malaysia also reiterates its call to the international community to make every possible effort to promote the realization of a just, lasting and peaceful solution, based on the internationally endorsed parameters enshrined in the relevant United Nations resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements. We stand ready to engage with and support initiatives on that basis. In that regard, my Prime Minister, together with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah of Brunei Darussalam and President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, issued a joint statement on 16 May condemning Israel’s recent acts of aggression. Our leaders also called on the international community to remain resolute in its commitment to safeguarding a two-State solution aimed at achieving an independent State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Malaysia reiterates its call on the Security Council to revisit the recommendations in the Secretary- General’s report of 2018 (A/ES-10/794) concerning the deployment of United Nations-mandated forces or unarmed observers to improve the protection of Palestinians. We must spare no effort to ensure the safety, protection and welfare of the Palestinian civilians who have been living in dreadful conditions under illegal Israeli occupation. As one of the penholders of the Security Council’s landmark resolution 2334 (2016), Malaysia continues to condemn all forced evictions of Palestinians from their homes, including those in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods of East Jerusalem. Such actions are illegal under international humanitarian law and serve only to fuel tensions on the ground. We will not recognize any blatant seizure of Palestinian land by Israel for illegal settlements. We also reject any unilateral action regarding the final status of Jerusalem. In that connection, we call on the Security Council to ensure the full implementation of its resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016), and we demand accountability and an end to all of Israel’s crimes and violations. Malaysia remains committed to supporting the Palestinian people in their quest for their fundamental rights, particularly their inalienable right to self-determination. We will continue our bilateral assistance to Palestine and will support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in assisting and protecting Palestinian refugees. This long-standing conflict continues to affect the lives and dignity of our Palestinian brothers and sisters. They deserve the same rights that we enjoy, such as living in peace and with justice. Malaysia’s resolute support for and full solidarity with the Palestinian people in realizing their right to freedom and independence has never been greater and will never waver. To stand with Palestine, especially during these trying times, is to stand with humankind. We call on other nations to continue standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The Government of Guyana is deeply concerned about the escalation of the tension and violence between Israel and Palestine, which has resulted in the loss of numerous lives, serious injuries, the destruction of property, the displacement of people and a serious setback to the Middle East peace process. We would like to express our condolences to the families of the Palestinians and Israelis who have lost their lives. We condemn all acts of violence and are repelled by the invasion of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the attacks on medical facilities and media houses. We implore all the parties to behave responsibly, exercise maximum restraint and cease all actions that are in contravention of international law, including international humanitarian law. There must be a ceasefire. The recent events underscore the urgency of achieving an end to the Israeli occupation and of arriving at a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement. The prolonged occupation of the Palestinian territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, has created extremely difficult economic and social conditions for the Palestinian people. The Government of Guyana firmly believes that the various resolutions adopted by both the General Assembly and the Security Council in relation to the Palestinian question, as well as the accords reached directly between Israel and Palestine, provide an adequate framework for the two sides to strive for agreement. We therefore call on the parties to avoid further confrontation and to return to the negotiating table, with a genuine view to finding a peaceful solution. Guyana stresses that constructive dialogue between the Israeli and Palestinian authorities is pivotal to advancing the peace process and realizing a two-State solution as the legitimate end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We further affirm our recognition of Palestine as a free, independent and sovereign State, based on its pre-1967 borders, and underscore the urgency of having an independent State of Palestine peacefully coexisting alongside the State of Israel. We encourage all the parties concerned, both within and outside the region, including the Secretary-General, to do their utmost to secure a reconciliation between the Israeli and Palestinian sides. Today’s debate offers us an opportunity to renew our efforts in that regard. As a member of the United Nations and its Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Guyana will continue to support the cause of peace and justice for the Palestinian people and for the Middle East as a whole.

No issue since 1945 has preoccupied the Assembly more than the Israeli and Palestinian question. Canada has played an active role since the earliest days of the conflict. In the 1940s, we supported the principle of two States for two peoples. We led in the establishment of the Suez peacekeeping force in 1956 and have worked hard since that time to address the underlying causes of the conflict. We remain ready and willing to respond to the needs of the parties in the interests of peace and security. It would be an understatement to say that like everyone in the Hall today, we are deeply troubled by the ongoing violence in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. Over the past few days, the conflict has led to significant loss of life among civilians. The toll, particularly on women and children, has already been far too great. The news that peace may emerge from the decisions of Governments both in Israel and elsewhere is good. But it is only a start. We continue to urge all sides to show the utmost restraint. We strongly support the work of the United Nations and other countries aimed at negotiating and maintaining a ceasefire and restoring calm. It is important to remember that thousands of lives have been lost since 1945, and those lives are not just numbers. We have heard many numbers and statistics today. It is important to remember that they are real people — with families, hopes and dreams. May I also say that it is also important to remember that there has been loss of life on all sides of the conflict. That loss should move us all to take action. We call for immediate de-escalation, the protection of civilians and, yes, for an end to all violence. We call for a resolution of the underlying causes of the conflict. We call for peace, mutual recognition and mutual respect. Let me be clear. We stand firmly with both the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security and with dignity, without fear and with their human rights fully respected. We strongly support the work of the United Nations, Egypt, Jordan and the United States in negotiating a ceasefire and maintaining freedom of religion and belief at the holy sites in Jerusalem. The indiscriminate barrage of rockets fired by Hamas and the Palestinian-Islamic Jihad into Israel is completely unacceptable and must cease immediately. It not only puts the safety — indeed the lives — of civilians at risk, it has already cost lives. It puts the security of airspaces and shipping lanes at great risk. The material and financial support to groups that Canada has listed as terrorist organizations must end. We strongly support Israel’s right to live in peace with its neighbours within secure boundaries and its right to assure its own security. That right also comes with the immense responsibility and obligation to act in accordance with international law. The use of force has led to significant loss of life among civilians. We must continue to urge the greatest of restraint and respect for life on all sides. (spoke in French) We are also deeply concerned about the developments in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Over the past few days and amid the coronavirus disease pandemic, more than 70,000 Gazans have been displaced within their own country. Many of them have been forced to seek refuge in schools managed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, in dire conditions. Civilians in Gaza are now facing shortages of medicines, food, fuel and other basic goods. We acknowledge that Israel has now authorized the entry of humanitarian convoys into Gaza and urge all parties to continue to facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and ensure that it reaches the most vulnerable people. It is totally unacceptable for health-care workers and facilities, as well as humanitarian aid workers, to come under fire. Every effort must be made to ensure their safety and security and international humanitarian law must be respected by all parties. (spoke in English) Canada also emphasizes the fundamental importance of protecting journalists and freedom of the press. Journalists and media workers are the cornerstone of any fair, strong and vibrant society and must be free to do their work without fear. Violence against journalists is completely unacceptable, especially in volatile contexts where they risk their lives to do their jobs. Furthermore, we remain gravely concerned about the continued expansion of settlements, demolitions and evictions, including the ongoing cases in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. Those actions affect families and livelihoods. They do not serve peace, to put it mildly, and are a violation of international law. In line with our long-standing position, which has been consistent since 1967, as expressed in Security Council resolution 242 (1967), we do not recognize permanent Israeli control over the territories that were occupied after the Six Day War in 1967. Canada believes that we must do everything possible to achieve a negotiated agreement that will settle the issues that are still in dispute. Regrettably, and in connection with the current situation in the region, we have been observing an increase in expressions of hatred, including anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab sentiment, at home and around the world. It is the collective responsibility of each and every one of us to fight hatred and condemn it in the strongest possible terms. We are committed to standing against hatred and discrimination in all their forms. We are also committed to working with our domestic and international partners to promote and defend pluralism, human rights and inclusion, at home and abroad. Let me assure the Assembly that Canada is committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian State, living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We will always support efforts to achieve a two-State solution. We remain firmly committed to advancing democracy, human rights, equality, inclusion and international law, at home and around the world. For decades the conflict has caused much pain, and is now causing more pain, to both Palestinian and Israeli families. It has damaged the social fabric of the region and indeed affected the politics of the world. Mutual recognition and mutual respect — the recognition that both parties have a right to their home and their place in the Middle East and that both parties and all of us must respect the positions, views, politics, religion and ethnicity of the other — are the critical foundations for lasting peace. We urge all members of the General Assembly to remain engaged in any efforts that can bring a peaceful and sustainable resolution to this devastating conflict.

Aotearoa New Zealand welcomes this opportunity for the General Assembly to focus on an important matter. As the Assembly convenes, the deadly violence and bloodshed in Israel and Palestine persists. By day’s end, more civilians will have tragically and needlessly lost their lives, some of them infants and children  — innocent victims of a senseless conflict. Aotearoa New Zealand is gravely concerned about the escalating violence and hostilities. We are appalled by the rising civilian death toll. The numbers in Gaza are especially shocking. The violence has seen more than 75,000 people internally displaced in Gaza alone. Health-care facilities, already under stress from the coronavirus disease pandemic, are now under increased pressure, with many damaged in the conflict. Essential civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including electricity networks and water installations, has been irreparably damaged. The delivery of urgently needed humanitarian staff and supplies has been impeded by the continued violence. We condemn the actions of both sides when the result is the loss of innocent civilian lives, especially children. We have serious concerns about whether Israel’s actions are proportionate in the circumstances. In addition, there are serious doubts as to whether either side has fulfilled its obligation under international humanitarian law to distinguish between military targets and civilians. The indiscriminate firing of rockets on Israel by Hamas is unacceptable and must stop. There can be no military solution to the conflict. That is why we are also deeply concerned about the fact that repeated calls for a ceasefire have been rejected. This is not a time for political posturing. It is a time for urgent de-escalation. We therefore look forward to confirmation of the breaking news that a ceasefire may have been agreed on. As the current conflict rages on, the prospects for genuine peace are bleak, worse than at any time in recent memory. The viability of a two-State solution, the only basis for achieving sustainable peace, appears a distant prospect if neither side is willing to call a ceasefire. Aotearoa New Zealand remains committed to a two-State solution and just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike. We call on the international community to take action urgently to preserve a two-State solution and advance the Middle East peace process. Without tangible progress towards those ends, the violence we are witnessing will simply recur further down the road. More lives will be lost and more seeds of discord sown, and a region already beset by instability and conflict will become even more complex, volatile and fractured. Aotearoa New Zealand continues to call for the Security Council to take urgent action to help end the violence and bring about a lasting ceasefire. We stand ready to assist in any constructive way we can to support those efforts.

I would like to thank the President for convening today’s important and timely General Assembly meeting on the issue of the protection of Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory. I would like to begin by expressing my heartfelt condolences to the Palestinian people and the Government for the loss of civilian lives, including those of women and children, and offering my best wishes for the speedy recovery of all the injured. We pray for the continued strength and resilience of the people of Palestine. The deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, is unacceptable and cannot continue. We all bear witness to the illegal and disproportionate use of military force against the Palestinian civilian population. Somalia supports the fundamental elements for a just and lasting peace in the region, in accordance with the relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, which are in keeping with United Nations principles and international law. We affirm the illegality of the occupying force’s occupation and defend the people’s right to self-determination and independence. In that regard, the fact that the actions of the occupying force contradict more than 700 General Assembly resolutions adopted since 1948, and more than 80 Security Council resolutions, is a source of major concern for Somalia and many others. We reaffirm our unreserved support for a total and unconditional end to the occupation and for the recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, sovereignty and an independent State. In an environment affected by the global coronavirus disease pandemic, the illegal blockade of Gaza continues in defiance of international humanitarian law and human rights law. In that regard, Somalia is concerned about the obstacles that the occupying Power has presented to the humanitarian access of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the occupied Palestinian territories and calls for ensuring the unimpeded and timely passage of humanitarian supplies and staff. We commend the generous donors that have been providing UNRWA with sufficient, predictable and sustainable funding so that the Agency can continue its vital service to refugees and perform its humanitarian activities. We also encourage the international community, including the relevant humanitarian agencies, civil-rights groups, civil society and the private sector, to redouble their efforts to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians, inside and outside the occupied territories. In conclusion, today the just Palestinian cause is not merely a question. It is a measure of the collective will of humankind. It is a test of our conscience and of the application of justice. For more than 70 years the so-called question of Palestine on the agendas of the General Assembly and the Security Council has received the same, united responses from the States Members of the United Nations. In that regard, I reiterate a message without fear of contradiction, which is that the only long-term option for the resolution of this long-standing military aggression is an end to the occupation of Palestinian territories and full recognition of a free, sovereign and independent Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly. Somalia and its people will continue to support and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and Government in their unwavering pursuit of their legitimate and inalienable rights, including the right to live in peace within secure and internationally recognized boundaries. (spoke in Arabic) Palestine will be liberated, God willing, regardless of who agrees or disagrees.

At the outset, I would like to thank President Bozkır for responding to the call by the representatives of Algeria and the Niger, in their role as Chairs of the Group of Ambassadors of the League of Arab States and the Group of Ambassadors of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, respectively. We thank him for convening today’s vital meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East and the question of Palestine, under agenda items 37 and 38. I would also like to apologize to the Assembly on behalf of Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, the Foreign Minister of Mauritania, who was unable to attend today’s meeting due to circumstances beyond his control. We are meeting here today to discuss the question of Palestine, to which the Assembly has allocated several items on its agenda. It has also adopted a number of resolutions that appear not to have resonated with the occupying Power. For the past 11 days, the Palestinian people in the occupied territories have been subjected to what can only be described as a war crime and an attempt at genocide and ethnic cleansing, in every sense of those words. The Israeli occupation has begun evicting an entire neighbourhood, Sheikh Jarrah, and eliminating components of Arab-Palestinian identity, all while the international community has supported finding a two-State solution. The occupying Power has been making brutal attacks on worshippers in Al-Haram Al-Sharif, in addition to randomly and viciously bombarding the Gaza Strip by air, land and sea, which has led, tragically, to the death of hundreds of innocent civilians, including women and children. The time has come for the international community to make a serious, practical effort to shoulder its responsibilities with regard to the situation in Palestine, because it is undermining the foundation and the legitimacy of our Organization. The occupying Power cannot simply ignore the resolutions adopted by the international community and the principles of international humanitarian law. Its aggression can only be described as an unacceptable criminal act. The Islamic Republic of Mauritania calls for an end to the Israeli aggression and reiterates conclusively that it supports the Palestinian people as they face it. As always, Mauritania supports the call for ensuring that Palestinians can enjoy all their legitimate and historic rights, as affirmed by the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Councils, including a two-State solution, the return of refugees and the establishment of a Palestinian State along the 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Israel’s method of resolving the conflict in the Middle East by attempting to legitimize its power against the power of genuine legitimacy is unsustainable and impractical, and it is not a lasting or realistic solution that can ensure stability in the Middle East. Rather, it is a real danger that deepens the vicious cycle of violence and counter-violence. Once again, we call on the international community from this rostrum to assume its responsibilities by condemning the brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and demanding the implementation of the international resolutions concerning Palestine.

I would like at the outset to express the Kingdom of Bahrain’s support for the holding of this extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly. From this rostrum, we call on the United Nations to assume its legal, moral and humanitarian responsibilities in working to ensure that all States abide by the international resolutions on the Middle East and the question of Palestine and uphold regional security and peace. Bahrain has expressed its strong condemnation of the Israeli aggressions against worshippers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and attempts by Israeli settlers to displace Palestinians from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of the occupied city of Al-Quds. Such acts contravene international legitimacy and international law, as well as the values of tolerance, coexistence and peace. Regrettably, that has resulted in a dangerous escalation, leaving hundreds dead and wounded, and undermining the chances of reviving the peace process in the occupied territories. It is incumbent on the Israeli Government to fully abide by international law and to fulfil its international obligations as an occupying Power in the occupied Palestinian territories. Moreover, it must respect religious freedoms at the holy sites and must not change the legal and the historic status of the city of Al-Quds, giving due consideration to its particular significance for Muslims and Christians. Bahrain totally repudiates the continued vicious cycle of violence and dangerous escalation between Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip and Israeli forces, since it is innocent civilians who are the victims of that military escalation, which has also led to the destruction of civilian facilities and homes. The international community in general should condemn it wholeheartedly. We call for consolidating international efforts by adopting a firm resolution that calls for a comprehensive ceasefire and an end to the continued escalation in order to end the bloodshed of innocent civilians and save the region from these threats to regional security and peace. In that context, we reiterate Bahrain’s support for the initiative put forward by our sister nation the Arab Republic of Egypt aimed at reaching a truce between the Palestinians and Israelis in preparation for a ceasefire between the two sides. The Kingdom of Bahrain calls on the General Assembly to continue its efforts to activate the Middle East peace process for achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the region, which cannot be done without acknowledging the right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent State with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the concept of a two- State solution, the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant international resolutions. We reiterate our call to the international community to spare no effort to bring security, stability and peace to this sensitive region in order to safeguard its peoples from grave dangers with terrible consequences. We ask God Almighty to crown everyone’s efforts with success.

I thank and commend the President for his decision to convene today’s joint debate on the situation in the Middle East and the question of Palestine. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made earlier by the representative of Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (see A/75/ PV.67), and the statement to be made on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. I would like to add a few remarks in my national capacity. We are meeting today while unspeakable brutality continues with impunity in the occupied Palestinian territory. The cycle of violence and the Israeli aggression are nothing new. They merely get more brutal each time we fail to act and hold Israel accountable for its acts of aggression. The more than seven decades of inaction bear heavily down on the collective conscience of all the nations gathered in the Assembly. The latest outbreak of deadly violence and aggression against the innocent population in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, during the holy month of Ramadan, is totally unacceptable. We express our condolences for the loss of lives and stand in solidarity with the Government and the people of Palestine. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, in a letter to President Mahmoud Abbas, strongly denounced such abhorrent acts of terror and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s unflinching commitment to realizing the inalienable right of the people of Palestine to an independent homeland, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The repeated raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the desecration of other holy sites and the violence unleashed on innocent devotees, including women and children, as well as the destruction of Palestinian homes and infrastructure and the forced displacement and eviction of Palestinians from their homes, are flagrant violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws and other international accords and tantamount to war crimes. We urge for an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression and call on the international community to take urgent and decisive actions to resolve the long- standing crisis. Let me reiterate the following points. First, Israel must end its illegal occupation and annexation of Palestinian territory. There has to be an immediate halt to the atrocities and bloodshed by Israel’s forces and illegal settlers on Palestinian territory. In that regard, we appeal to the international community to make genuine efforts to address the root causes of the Palestinian crisis and thereby end the cycle of violence and injustice. Secondly, we must end the culture of inaction when it comes to the question of Palestine. The Security Council and the General Assembly must fulfil their responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations. If they are to remain credible and relevant, they must make genuine efforts to enforce Israel’s compliance with all international human rights and humanitarian laws and the relevant resolutions, including Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), and ensure justice for the Palestinian people and their just cause. Thirdly, the United Nations should engage with all relevant actors to ensure the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. The speedy implementation of the Middle East Quartet road map and the Arab Peace Initiative are crucial building blocks in that regard. Fourthly, meeting the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people is a matter of urgency. The blockade of Gaza must end so as to ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian and medical personnel and supplies for the civilian population. We must also strengthen the capacity of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) by addressing its perennial funding crisis. Bangladesh will continue to support UNRWA with its annual contribution. Finally, the Israeli occupation forces’ persistent violations of all international laws and the suffering of innocent civilians create a sense of perpetual injustice and impunity. Holding the perpetrators accountable would be an important step towards finding justice and lasting peace. We welcome the developments in the International Criminal Court in that regard. Let me conclude by affirming Bangladesh’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people. We stand firmly with them in realizing their legitimate rights and aspirations, which is imperative if we are to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause and peace in the region. Bangladesh will support all efforts towards that end.

Australia wholeheartedly welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire, which must be the start of a process towards a genuine, just, durable and resilient peace. We commend the diplomatic efforts of all the parties that have sought to bring an end to the conflict, including Egypt and the United States. As the Australian Government has made clear, violence is no solution. Throughout the conflict, we have unequivocally called on all leaders to take immediate steps to stop the violence, exercise restraint and move without delay towards sustainable peace. Australia condemns the indiscriminate use of rockets, incendiary balloons and other methods of attack by Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza. Attacks on civilians are utterly reprehensible and should be resolutely condemned by the international community. The protection of civilians must remain paramount. Using civilian population centres as shields from which attacks are launched is contrary to all international norms. The reckless disregard for civilian lives that Hamas has shown towards the people of Gaza and Israel must end. Civilians have already paid a heavy price for the actions of Hamas and its ruthless commitment to violence. The State of Israel unquestionably has the right to defend itself in accordance with international law, and Israelis have the right to live in peace. In defending itself and its people, Israel must uphold the principles of proportionality and the protection of humanitarian actors. Equally, Palestinians must be allowed to live in peace and dignity. Australia is gravely concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. We call on all sides to ensure that help reaches the people who need it. Civilians should not bear the compounded cost of pandemic and conflict. We urge all the parties to take steps to prevent the situation from becoming a humanitarian crisis made exponentially worse by security concerns. The safety and security of humanitarian workers and their assets are paramount, and they must be protected from targeting. We applaud the work being done by humanitarian agencies inside Gaza to alleviate civilian suffering, and they must be able to continue. Australia also calls on all the parties to ensure that journalists and independent media organizations are protected. The world benefits from their work. Holy sites are for peaceful worship. They must never be places of fear, chaos or violence. The world depends on the people and authorities in Jerusalem to preserve the sanctity of those treasured places. Australia urges all sides to respect the traditions and rights of freedom of religious belief and expression, and to allow unhindered, peaceful access for people of all faiths to the holy sites in Jerusalem. Peace is the only solution to the conflict. The focus of all parties must be on a return to direct and genuine negotiations as soon as possible, with a view to defining a just, durable and resilient peace agreement. To support that objective, we urge all the parties to refrain from violent or provocative acts or actions that increase tensions. That includes all acts of violence, terrorism, riotous assembly and anarchy, as well as land appropriations, forced evictions, demolitions and settlement activity. Australia remains a steadfast supporter of a two- State solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, where Israel and a future Palestinian State exist in peace and security within internationally recognized borders. This generational conflict must be brought to a decisive close. All children in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank deserve better than to assume a future dominated by the tragedy of fear, violence and perpetual conflict. The cycle of bloodshed serves no fit or proper purpose and must end. Australia unreservedly adds its voice to the international community’s call for peace.

At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation to the President for his efforts to hold this important meeting on the Palestinian question in the light of the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territory, and to the Secretary-General for his work and relentless efforts aimed at achieving peace in the Middle East, as well as the contacts he has made with various parties to that end. I affirm Egypt’s alignment with the statements delivered by the representatives of Algeria, the Comoros and Azerbaijan on behalf of the Group of Arab States, the Group of African States and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries respectively (see A/75/PV.67). I would like to share the news that the efforts of Egypt and other parties have resulted in an imminent ceasefire, which we hope will last. Any life that can be saved deserves every possible effort to be made. The General Assembly is an inclusive forum in which States can come together, as members of one family, to express their positions and visions with regard to various international issues. The Assembly continues to constitute the most important framework enabling the participation of all Member States on an equal footing in order to take decisions that reflect the consensus of our family of nations on the various issues and challenges we face, in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the parameters of international law. Today we are meeting at a difficult and painful time as we discuss the regression of one of the very first issues on the agenda of the Assembly, the Palestinian question. We have witnessed major setbacks regarding this issue over the past few decades, following the hope generated by the beginning of a peace process in the region. That hope dissipated as a result of Israel’s continued occupation, accompanied by its practices of settlement construction, forced displacement and the destruction of Palestinian homes and buildings, in addition to the violence inflicted by settlers on unarmed Palestinian civilians and the threat posed to the current legal and historic status of the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. All of our reflections on the current situation can serve to prepare for the future. The ongoing escalation in the occupied Palestinian territory urges us to seriously consider solutions that can create a way out of the vicious cycle of violence that we have witnessed again and again. That cycle will continue to recur in the absence of any serious negotiations aimed at ensuring a fair settlement of the Palestinian question based on the agreed parameters. We have said frequently that there can be no stability in the Middle East without a fair, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian question, which has always been and remains the central issue of the Arab nation. That was reaffirmed in the most recent resolution of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level. The first step that must be taken is ensuring an immediate cessation of all military acts and the prevention of any provocations in Jerusalem, as well as respect for the city’s historic and legal status in the context of the Hashemite custodianship of the holy sites. After the ceasefire, a series of timely and tangible measures must be taken on the ground that will help to restore calm and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, thereby enabling all the parties to focus on reviving the peace negotiations in order to reach a lasting and just solution. A serious and effective revival of the peace process must underpin any international forward movement towards a positive political horizon that gives hope both to our Palestinian brothers and to the people of the region in general — hope for lasting peace and stability and a safer future for all. That requires a speedy activation of the role of the Middle East Quartet, aimed at producing to a positive response to President Abbas’s initiative to hold an international peace conference under the auspices of the United Nations whereby negotiations will be resumed aimed at establishing a Palestinian State along the lines of 4 June 1967, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with the agreed terms of reference and the relevant United Nations resolutions, particularly Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), as well as the concept of a two- State solution and the Arab Peace Initiative. Egypt has made intensive efforts and many sacrifices for as long as this question has existed. We are determined to continue working to achieve this end with all our international partners, whether under the Munich format or other formats and initiatives. We will also cooperate with the United States Administration to resume negotiations between both sides, in addition to supporting international efforts aimed at the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. In that connection, Egypt has announced that it has taken the initiative to allocate $500 million for rebuilding the Gaza Strip with the involvement of specialized Egyptian firms. In conclusion, based on its historic responsibilities with regard to the Palestinian question, Egypt affirms that it will continue to make every effort to ensure that the Palestinian people can realize their legitimate rights and enjoy peace, security and stability in the Palestinian State they desire, along the borders of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Kenya has consistently supported diplomatic negotiations, conducted in an atmosphere of peace, to achieve a two-State solution in which Israel and Palestine live within secure and recognized borders in accordance with the June 1967 lines. The escalation of violence in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, beyond its high human costs, is challenging any possibility of reaching the ultimate goal of a permanent and secure peace. Kenya sends its condolences to the families and communities that have lost their loved ones. We continue to urge and support all efforts aimed at achieving an immediate ceasefire and cessation of violence as the first steps towards a renewed push for peace. The growing crisis, however discouraging, may be the spur for a concerted push to achieve security and possibly even peace. The Israeli and Palestinian peoples, along with the international community, are yearning for statesmen and women with the bold spirit and determination to rise to that historic challenge. Kenya continues to raise the alarm about the escalating violence which, owing in particular to the attacks on religious sites important to the monotheistic religions, will fuel extremism and hatred globally. We are conscious that as we hold this discussion, terrorist groups and their backers are renewing their messages of radicalization and recruitment the world over. We therefore strongly condemn Hamas’s continued rocket launches from Gaza at civilian targets in Israel, which have resulted in fatalities. No cause can excuse indiscriminate attacks on civilians. We are also very concerned about the fact that Hamas is exploiting civilian infrastructure and populations in its operations. We condemn any use of human shields or the concealment of weaponry inside civilian objects. We also urge Israel’s police and military authorities to embrace de-escalation, protect lives and avoid the demolition of civilian infrastructure. We urge encouraging Israel to acknowledge that its immediate tactical actions, though they may be justified at the operational level, could come at a great strategic cost in the longer term. That is especially the case given the collateral damage to already vulnerable populations and innocent civilians, particularly children, and the powerful delegitimizing narratives that are emerging and being conveyed to every corner of the world. It is also important that the agreed status quo regarding Jerusalem be respected. The illegal settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory is an important driver of conflict. It runs counter to established agreements and resolutions, and multigenerational experiences of dispossession play into the hands of extremists. The enmity that produces the kind of violence occurring today only begets more violence, with a spillover effect to many parts of the world, including the terrorist groups attacking multiple countries in Africa. All regional and international efforts should be underlined by multilateralism and guided by the agreed international mechanisms, including Security Council resolution 2334 (2016). We also recognize the constructive steps taken so far by the respective national authorities to engage with the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and the Special Envoys of the Middle East Quartet. Kenya also welcomes the continued efforts of Secretary-General António Guterres towards de-escalation and direct negotiations between the parties. We also commend all regional and bilateral efforts for peace and urge all neighbouring and nearby States to join the course. As such, we appreciate the role of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and other members of the Group of Arab States and the League of Arab States. We call for community leaders, religious leaders, the business community and civil society in Israel and Palestine to speak up loudly for a ceasefire and dialogue. In many countries, the powerful insistence on peaceful coexistence has often come from such groups.

First of all, I would like to thank the President for convening this important and timely meeting. The Government of the Republic of San Marino expresses its deepest concern over the escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, which is causing a high number of deaths, human suffering and the destruction of vital infrastructure. The Republic of San Marino joins the Secretary- General’s call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties involved in this conflict. We firmly condemn the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and, while we recognize Israel’s right to self-defence, we also reiterate that Israel’s response must be proportionate and in line with international humanitarian law. San Marino is deeply concerned and disturbed by the unacceptable number of casualties among civilians, including women and children. The protection of civilians must be guaranteed at all times. We are also concerned about the humanitarian and socioeconomic situation in Gaza  — a situation that must be addressed urgently. We reiterate the need to guarantee humanitarian access, in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions. We would also like to recall that settlements are illegal under international law and that they constitute an obstacle to peace. As we all know, the current round of violence is the result of a dispute that has never been settled and which still continues to fuel hate, destruction and despair. The Republic of San Marino stresses the need to resolve this conflict at its roots through a peaceful solution. The only way to reach a lasting political solution is through mediation and dialogue, returning to negotiations with the ultimate goal of a two-State solution, with two States living side by side in peace, security and mutual respect, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States, in line with prior commitments, the relevant Security Council resolutions and international law. We urge all parties to clearly demonstrate their genuine commitment to a peaceful solution, recalling that the longer we wait, the more violence we will generate and the further we step away from our goal of lasting peace, the more we will jeopardize the security of the entire region

At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation for the convening of this timely debate on the situation in the Middle East and the question of Palestine at the joint request of the Coordinating Bureau and the delegations of the Niger and Algeria in their respective capacities as Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Chair of the Group of Arab States. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (see A/75/PV.67). My delegation strongly condemns the indiscriminate military attacks by Israel on the Gaza Strip, which have massacred a huge number of Palestinian civilians and are aggravating the situation in the region. My delegation strongly calls on Israel to immediately stop acts of aggression against the Palestinian people and fully implement its obligations under the relevant United Nations resolutions and international law. My delegation would also like to extend its full support to the Palestine people in their just struggle to claim their homeland and attain peace in the region, while putting an end to Israel’s wild ambitions for territorial expansion. The question of Palestine was put on the agenda of the General Assembly at its twenty-ninth session. Since then, it has been discussed scores of times during the past 40 or so years, with the adoption of numerous resolutions. However, regrettably, there has been no success so far. Meanwhile, the brutality of Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians and other Arabs has become institutionalized and ever-more undisguised. The acts of the Israeli occupying forces, who have taken the lives of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian people in flagrant violation of the principles of sovereignty, self-determination and territorial integrity stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations, can never be justified under any circumstances. The Security Council, which is primarily mandated to maintain international peace and security should not allow such Israeli territorial expansion and human rights violations. My delegation would like to take this opportunity to express its unwavering support to, and solidarity with, the Palestinian people in their just cause to put an end to the illegal occupation of territory by Israel and regain their legitimate national rights, including the establishment of an independent State, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Costa Rica would like to reiterate its deep dismay over the escalation in violence between Israel and Hamas, which is on the point of becoming one of the darkest chapters in the recent history of a conflict whose solution not only continues to be postponed but that is becoming increasingly darker. We condemn violence and provocation as a way to settle disputes, no matter their origin, and we call for an immediate end to the hostilities. We are witnessing an asymmetric conflict  — a conflict that has a human face, one that I have seen on people in refugee camps that have already existed for four generations of Palestinians; the faces of women I have also seen who cannot manage to ensure basic levels of subsistence for their families; the faces of the tens of thousands of people whose homes have been demolished or destroyed; the face of an entire population deprived of drinking water and access to basic items for hygiene, education and health; and the face of a population that is experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis. Costa Rica shares the focus of the Ministers of Indonesia and Maldives, who this morning stated that we should put human beings before anything else in connection with the conflict under our consideration (see A/75/PV.67). Costa Rica would like to highlight three aspects that we believe are key. First, Costa Rica calls for an immediate cessation of the direct or indirect transfer of weapons, munitions and military equipment to any area of conflict. The weapons that some Member States represented in this Hall continue to transfer to areas of conflict as we hold this meeting only contribute to furthering the human suffering and the serious violations of human rights and international law. Clear and consistent action by such States can uphold the commitments that they have undertaken, about which they are happy to lecture others or which they interpret as they see fit  — the commitment and moral imperative to immediately cease their supply of devices that bring pain, suffering and death to the civilian population both in Gaza and in other parts of the world. Costa Rica also urges an immediate stop to the use of heavy and precision weaponry and explosive weapons in densely populated areas. Civilians, their homes and critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools and water and electricity supply systems, as well as media offices, are not military targets nor are those who happen to be present there, Secondly, Costa Rica deeply regrets the fact that the burden of that violence falls disproportionately on the small shoulders of Palestinian children. More than 200 Palestinians, a third of them children, have died. Costa Rica and the international community cannot continue to accept the subjugation, persecution and suffering of Palestinian children as a fait accompli. Costa Rica would also like to highlight the lasting impact that such violence will have on all children, without exception, on their education, their training and their livelihoods, not to mention their mental health, and, in particular, on the possibility of them being agents of peace and reconciliation. Thirdly, Costa Rica reiterates that the Organization, in particular the Security Council, has long agreed on the path to peace between Israel and Palestine. It is now time to implement it. The only thing that is missing is the political will. It is unbelievable and inexplicable that last Sunday, 16 May, the Security Council convened an emergency meeting and did not take any action (see S/2021/480). Stubborn inaction seems to be its modus operandi. Listening to the same litany of positions without achieving any concrete steps and solutions in that regard is hopeless and does not help the credibility of this Organization of ours in any way. What is more serious is that it does not make a difference to the lives of those who are suffering the burden of the conflict itself and who expect decisive action, not indifference. It is in such situations, whether it be that of the Crimea, South Ossetia or currently Myanmar, that the General Assembly must once again demonstrate that it not only has the necessary legitimacy but also the obligation to ensure the maintenance of international peace and security, as the representatives of Qatar, Jordan and the Arab Group, among other speakers, pointed out this morning (see A/75/PV.67). The geostrategic interests and political alliances can never be put before the dignity of human beings. Every day that we are busy issuing cautious statements, civilians, including children, suffer and die and the wounds become deeper. Instead of healing, they continue to fester to the point of gangrene. We all know that there is a single solution: Palestinians and Israelis living side by side in peace and security within secure and internationally recognized borders based on the 1967 parameters, with Jerusalem as the joint capital. That is the solution to which Costa Rica aspires.

I will make the following statement on behalf of the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran. “At the outset, I would like to thank the President for convening this timely meeting as the world witnesses the most horrific atrocities perpetrated by the Israeli regime against innocent Palestinians. “For more than seven decades the Israeli brutal policies and practices have continued to violate the fundamental human rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. As a result, Palestinians have been deprived of their lands, properties and businesses while being forcibly evicted from their homes and subjected to violence, terror and intimidation. The Israeli regime, in line with its discriminatory and racist apartheid policies, has totally negated the right of the Palestinians to self- determination under the title of “one Jewish State”. Moreover, it has implemented unprecedented measures and provocations to accelerate the Judaization of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and alter its demographic composition by eliminating Palestinian Christians and Muslims in the Holy City. “In the past week, Israeli forces have bombarded the Gaza Strip, the world’s biggest open-air prison, and through a disproportionate war, in which they have resorted to advanced weaponry, have cruelly and brutally massacred hundreds of Palestinians and injured thousands of civilians. In the midst of an ongoing pandemic, the Israeli military attack on Gaza has destroyed thousands of homes, flattened entire apartment houses as well as commercial buildings, including some that housed journalists, and damaged other vital civilian infrastructure in a blatant and systematic violation of human rights, humanitarian law and international law. They even killed the head of Gaza’s coronavirus disease response team. “And yet the Security Council  — despite the continued mass dispossession, occupation and persecution of the Palestinian people by the Israeli regime  — continues to be blocked by the United States from upholding its duties under the Charter of the United Nations and shouldering its responsibility to stop the violation of United Nations resolutions. In that regard, the General Assembly, as the collective conscience of the international community, has a vital responsibility to condemn Israel’s military aggression and ethnic cleansing and adopt the measures necessary to hold Israel accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity. “The immoral approach of some Western Governments in equating victims with culprits is reprehensible, unjust and unacceptable. The denial of the total asymmetry of a situation of an occupier and oppressor against an occupied and oppressed people not only exposes their hypocrisy and an extreme lack of moral compass, but amounts to complicity in the crimes perpetrated against Palestinians. We emphasize that the people of Palestine are fully entitled to defend themselves and to defy the tyrannical tactics of this racist apartheid regime. The usurpation of another Arab neighbourhood surrounding the Al-Aqsa Mosque proves the futility of some Arab States’ normalization of the situation. It is evident that the only path to peace in Palestine is through the holding of a referendum among all of its residents — Jews, Christians and Muslims, including displaced Palestinians and refugees. “The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms its strong support for and solidarity with the just cause of Palestine and its commitment to continuing to support the Palestinian people in their quest to achieve their inalienable rights and legitimate national aspirations, including their right to self- determination, freedom and independence in their State of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.”

At the outset, I would like to thank the President for convening this debate. Nepal is deeply concerned about the escalation of conflict and the deterioration of the security situation in the Palestinian territory and Israeli cities. We are equally concerned about the indiscriminate use of force against civilians by both the parties involved in the conflict. We are dismayed by the large death toll of civilians, including children. We call for an immediate de-escalation and avoidance of the indiscriminate use of force in order to prevent civilian casualties. We also urge both parties to make every effort to protect civilians and prevent further destruction of public and private properties. We strongly condemn all acts of violence against civilians, as nothing can justify hostility towards innocent people, whether Palestinians or Israelis. The current escalation of tensions simply adds to the woes of the Palestinian and Israeli civilians who have been enduring the suffering of repeated cycles of violence and conflict for decades. Peace can be possible only when both sides respect each other’s existence and dignity. Hatred never incubates peace. Nepal calls on both sides to exercise maximum restraint and resort to dialogue to address the problem. With regard to the current breaking news, Nepal welcomes the decision of Israel and Hamas to have a ceasefire. That is the right thing to do in order to enter into a meaningful dialogue for lasting peace. Nepal supports a two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within recognized international borders, based on international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions. We appeal and affirm our support for all efforts aimed at achieving a just, peaceful and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. In conclusion, the United Nations and international community must undertake all possible measures to bring both sides to the table of peace negotiations to find a just and lasting political solution to the Palestinian problem once and for all.

The delegation of Cuba is grateful to the President for his decision to convene this plenary meeting to jointly debate agenda items 37, on the situation in the Middle East, and 38, on the question of Palestine, following the request of the delegations of the Niger and Algeria in their capacities as Chairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Group of Arab States, as well as the Chair of the Coordinating Bureau of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. We strongly support the remarks made by Azerbaijan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, as well as the positions expressed by the representatives of the Niger and Algeria on behalf of the OIC and the Arab Group (see A/75/PV.67). The press statement released yesterday, 18 May, by Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories could not have been more tragic or worrying. The General Assembly must act immediately and resolutely to put an end to the Israeli military aggression, particularly in the Gaza Strip, which has been under siege for over 13 years. Israel´s indiscriminate and disproportionate bombings have claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians, including entire families and a considerable number of children. The occupying Power is brutally destroying houses, hospitals and civil infrastructure, which constitutes a flagrant violation of all the norms of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention. It is alarming that owing to the repeated obstruction of the United States, in complicit silence with Israel, the Security Council has been unable to speak out and condemn the escalation of violence and the tragic events that are regrettably being repeated in the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem and, after taking days to convene a public meeting on this issue, which affects international peace and security as well as the Middle East itself, has not even issued a statement of condemnation. The paralysis in the Security Council has led Israel to believe that it has been given a green light to commit crimes with impunity. The occupation and policy of annexation have continued, along with an increase in illegal and settlement-building practices and measures, including the construction and expansion of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, punitive demolitions, the confiscation of resources from Palestinian institutions, the forced displacement of hundreds of civilians, the blockade of the Gaza Strip and the threat to annex the Palestinian territories of the Jordan Valley and other parts of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Cuba condemns in the strongest terms all the crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people. We urge Israel to put an end to its despicable practices and to respect the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions. The aggression must stop immediately. The world is insulted by the Zionist barbarity and the veil of impunity that the United States draws over those crimes by supporting the Israeli regime. We reiterate our full support for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that can enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and establish an independent and sovereign State within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital and the right of return of refugees guaranteed. The international community has a legal, political and moral obligation to fully support the Palestinian cause. If the Security Council continues to be hindered in carrying out its duties under the Charter, it is incumbent on the Assembly to take the necessary steps to bring an end to this impunity and barbarism.

There is not a person in the world who has been left indifferent by the events of the past two weeks in the Middle East. We have all felt the pain of the human suffering and the hopelessness of a situation in which each side blames the other for its exacerbation, while innocent civilians continue to die. It has become increasingly clear that with the Palestinian question unresolved, any provocation, indeed the slightest spark can trigger a major confrontation. It is extremely disappointing that this is not the first time such outbursts of violence have occurred. We have repeatedly seen how unilateral steps, including settlement activity, evictions of Palestinian families and the destruction of property, most notably in East Jerusalem, and tensions over holy sites in that city, have led to an escalation of violence. And that is what has happened this time. It has been followed by rocket launches from Gaza and by Israeli air strikes. Children are dying, buildings are being destroyed and infrastructure is being severely damaged. The peoples of both Israel and the Palestinian territories have lost sleep and peace. There must be an immediate ceasefire and an end to the bloodshed. We call on both parties to respect the norms of international humanitarian law and prevent civilian casualties. I would like to stress that the events in this part of the Middle East, including the deteriorating Palestinian-Israeli relations, directly affect Russia’s security interests and carry the threat of further regional escalation and the destabilization of the entire Middle East. That is why we are maintaining active contact with all the stakeholders on a bilateral basis, first and foremost the Israelis and Palestinians, but also their neighbours in the region. We note the special role of Jordan’s monarchy with regard to Jerusalem’s Islamic holy sites, with regard to which the status quo must be respected. We greatly value our relationships with both Israel and Palestine. While we acknowledge all the complexity and the multifaceted nature of the situation, we believe that those two States can live in peace without threatening each other. We also believe in the possibility of peace between Israel and all Arab States. We believe that it is essential to launch direct dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis as soon as possible. It is through direct negotiations that the parties must resolve fundamental final status issues, including that of East Jerusalem. It is essential to protect the right and freedom of believers to worship in the cradle of the three monotheistic religions. We underscore that there can be no alternative to a political settlement of the current conflict. Both sides must take responsibility and engage in dialogue. We no longer have a margin for error. The current escalation on the ground makes it utterly clear that attempts to impose unilateral solutions that do not fully take into account the interests of all the parties cannot bring comprehensive stabilization to the Middle East. We have had clear confirmation of the danger of retreating from a commitment to a negotiated solution based on the principle of two States within the framework of the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. That framework has a specific set of steps that we are all very familiar with. The price of such delusions is very high — it is real human lives lost and futures destroyed. We should all keep that in mind. And there is another important conclusion that we must all draw. The normalization of Israel’s ties with the Arab countries, important in itself, cannot bring about a comprehensive stabilization of the situation in the Middle East if the situation of Palestine is ignored. As I said, Russia, along with other countries, has been making strenuous efforts to achieve a de-escalation. A few hours ago we heard reports that an agreement on the ceasefire may have been reached. We would very much like to see it become a long-term ceasefire. We believe firmly, and have always said, that the impasse that has arisen can be sustainably overcome only through collective action. In particular, we advocate intensifying the activities of the Middle East Quartet. We propose holding a ministerial meeting of the Quartet without delay aimed at de-escalating the situation and creating an atmosphere of trust. In order to take into account the views of interested parties, we also propose convening a ministerial meeting of the Quartet in an expanded format, with the participation of States of the region. We believe that such an initiative will directly facilitate a resumption of the peace process. Another integral task of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process is overcoming the divisions within the Palestinian ranks. We are ready to continue to provide that process with the necessary assistance together with other interested parties, first among them our Egyptian friends. But the first step, of course, is ending the violence, renouncing provocative rhetoric and any unilateral steps, which in the current circumstances are completely unacceptable. I would very much like to hope that our meeting today, at which all our colleagues, without exception, have spoken in support of this scenario, will give the parties to the conflict an additional basis for sticking to a ceasefire and halting their mutual provocations.

My delegation supports the positions outlined in the statements made on behalf of the Group of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (see A/75/PV.67). We would like to thank the President for holding this meeting and commend the wisdom of giving Member States an opportunity to express their views on an issue that pertains to security, peace and stability in the Middle East and indeed the entire world. The Republic of Iraq condemns the acts of aggression committed by the Israeli entity against the Palestinian people, which constitute a flagrant violation of human rights and international conventions and resolutions, while obstructing the peace process in the region. The courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Mosque was raided, worshippers were prevented from entering the Mosque to practice their religious rites and defenceless civilians were targeted, in addition to the ensuing brutal attacks on the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in the occupied city of Jerusalem. Moreover, the air strikes against the Gaza Strip have continued, leading to the destruction of infrastructure and residential areas. As a result, people have had to flee their homes and have been displaced, leaving them without shelter. All of this constitutes a serious escalation by the Israeli Government and reflects its expansionist policies, turning away from any peaceful solutions or stability for the region. My Government and the people of Iraq want to emphasize their firm and principled position and their full support to the just Palestinian cause. The Palestinians have sustained immense human and material losses for generations in their efforts to preserve their steadfast right to establish their own independent State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, as outlined in international resolutions. Iraq also condemns the illegal and illegitimate decisions by the Israeli occupying Power regarding Al-Quds Al-Sharif. We totally reject any attempts to change the historic right to the land of Palestine and call on the international community to stand against these policies and Israel’s settlement activity and acts of aggression, which only further entrench the results of ethnic cleansing, demographic change and the desecration of the sanctity of places of worship and holy sites. We must work together to bring justice to our oppressed brother people of Palestine, who are being subjected to genocide. They must regain their legitimate rights in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly. The international community must shoulder its legal and moral responsibility to ensure accountability for these violations. It must take the necessary measures to protect civilians under occupation, promote Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and facilitate the release of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. We also call for an end to the Israeli settlement activity that seeks to Judaize Al-Quds Al-Sharif and suppress its Islamic and Arabic character. In conclusion, we stress the need for establishing a united international position by taking every possible legal and political measure to compel the Israeli entity to cease its continued acts of aggression against the defenceless people of Palestine. Countless General Assembly, Security Council and Human Rights Council resolutions, as well as those of other international forums, have repeatedly condemned such acts.

I am delivering this statement on behalf of Mr. Faisal Mekdad, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, who was unable to participate personally in the proceedings of this meeting. “The convening of this meeting of the General Assembly today to discuss the dangerous situation in the occupied Palestinian territories as a result of the brutal Israeli onslaught is especially important in the light of the paralysis that has been produced in the Security Council because the United States has prevented it from assuming its responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security. “The Nakba that the Palestinian people have been enduring for the past 73 years as a result of the Israeli policies of occupation, forced displacement, demographic change, mass expropriation of property and blockade, as well as Israel’s massacres and gross violations of human rights, has made the Palestinian question a persistent human tragedy unparalleled in modern history. What is regrettable is that this question, which has been present in the United Nations since its establishment and on which hundreds of resolutions have been adopted, remains a testament to the failure of the international community to end the Israeli occupation and Israel’s ongoing brutal practices. “The examples we witnessed during the holy month of Ramadan of provocative Israeli practices against the residents of Al-Quds have come in the context of Israel’s implementation of its plans to annex Al-Quds to its entity and its open attempt to escalate the situation and create pretexts for a new round of acts of aggression, with the aim of covering up the internal political impasse facing Netanyahu’s Government. Israel therefore bears full responsibility for the brutal aggression against the Palestinian people, an aggression that is a link in the continuing chain of acts of aggression that Israel has consistently carried out in our Arab region, including its repeated attacks on Lebanon and my country, Syria, while it also explicitly supports armed terrorist groups. “We condemn in the strongest terms the ongoing Israeli war against the Palestinian people in Al-Quds, the Gaza Strip and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories. We also condemn any attempt to cover up Israel’s crimes against Palestinian civilians, which in the past few days have martyred hundreds and left thousands wounded, most of them women and children, actions that represent war crimes and crimes against humanity under international humanitarian law. “It is reprehensible that some try to describe the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories as a cycle of mutual violence or war between Israel and Palestinian factions that gives Israel a right to self-defence. That description is inhumane, wrong and completely misleading. The truth is that what is happening is a planned aggression by Israel against the Palestinian people. Any talk about Israel’s right to defend itself is tantamount to encouraging Israel to continue its brutal aggression and giving it permission to kill Palestinians and rob the Palestinian people of their right to life, particularly by destroying inhabited buildings over the heads of their residents. We have the right to ask that if Israel’s crimes do not constitute aggression and war crimes, what do they constitute? “The continued Israeli practices against our people living under occupation, the deadlock on a solution based on the implementation of the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy and the promotion of suspect deals and delusional solutions, including Trump’s so-called recognition of Israel’s annexation of the occupied Syrian Golan and Jerusalem, coupled with declarations by Israeli leaders that they are ready for endless wars in the Middle East  — all of these factors contribute nothing to achieving peace and security in the region. “The international community, which believes in the Charter of the United Nations and is represented by the Member States, has a duty to move urgently and take the measures necessary to end the crimes of the Israeli authorities and Israel’s occupation of Arab lands, including Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of our Organization. “In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm our position in standing by our Palestinian brethren in their ordeal. We support their right to establish an independent State with Al-Quds as its capital, and to obtain full membership in this Organization.”

Afghanistan aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Azerbaijan on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (see A/75/PV.67). I further have the honour to deliver the following remarks in my national capacity on behalf of Mr. Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. “Afghanistan greatly appreciates President Volkan Bozkır ’s leadership in convening the General Assembly to discuss the situation in Palestine. We want to express our gratitude to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Group of Arab States and the Non-Aligned Movement for requesting this meeting. “As we meet today, innocent Palestinian are being killed and robbed of their dignity and property in a vicious cycle of violence and aggression, in grave violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. We, the peoples of the United Nations, cannot passively watch this tragedy. The leadership of the United Nations, especially the Security Council and the General Assembly, is desperately needed. “Afghanistan condemns in the strongest terms Israel’s illegal aggression and indiscriminate violence against Palestinian civilians. We denounce the violation of the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and all attempts to alter Jerusalem’s historical and legal status and its demographic composition through illegal settlements and forced migration. I would like to extend our condolences to the Palestinian Government and people for the martyrdom of dozens of civilians, including women and children, and to wish a speedy recovery to the wounded. I am very encouraged by the emerging news that a ceasefire may have been reached and stress that it should be implemented immediately and be a lasting one. There is an urgent need to facilitate humanitarian access to all the areas affected and address the protection needs of the most vulnerable, including women and children. The international community should support United Nations humanitarian efforts in that regard. “Afghanistan strongly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people and their legitimate right to self-determination. We are proud to serve as a Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. Today I join the larger call of the international community in making the following recommendations. “First, further efforts are needed to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure an end to impunity. The perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity must be held accountable, including through international mechanisms and institutions. Secondly, we call on the international community to pursue a coordinated response and redouble its efforts for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, and we emphasize the urgent need to resume direct negotiations with the support of the Middle East Quartet. Thirdly, a sustainable resolution to the conflict on the basis of a two-State solution is needed, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian State within the pre- 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital. “In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm our solidarity with the Palestinian people and our strong support for their legitimate rights.”

At the outset, I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for his speedy response to the request submitted by the Group of Arab States and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, as well as the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, to hold this high- level meeting to discuss the developments in Palestine and the brutal Israeli acts of aggression and repeated systematic shelling of civilians, including women and children, in Al-Quds Al-Sharif and in the Gaza Strip. The Republic of Yemen condemns in the strongest terms the appalling Israeli aggression aimed at evicting the Palestinian people from their homes and property in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. We also condemn the brutal attacks on worshippers at the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, which disrespect the sanctity of the holy month of Ramadan. We condemn as well the savage shelling of the Gaza Strip, which targets infrastructure and residential units, resulting in hundreds of martyrs, especially women and children. The Republic of Yemen flatly rejects the policy of Israel, the occupying Power, that aims to Judaize the city of Jerusalem, change the legal and historical status of the city and its holy places, undermine its Arab and Islamic nature, change its demographic structure and impose a fait accompli by confiscating Palestinian territories and constructing thousands of new settlement units, especially in the city of Al-Quds and throughout the West Bank. Israel also continues to reject the issuance of construction permits to Palestinian citizens in occupied East Jerusalem. It has also intensified its campaigns of demolishing and confiscating homes, thus rendering their owners and residents homeless, as a policy of ethnic cleansing that aims to evict Palestinians from the land of their ancestors. Israel continues to impose a suffocating siege on the Gaza Strip and targets its residents with assassinations and air raids. It destroys homes, schools, hospitals and mosques, including United Nations buildings, facilities and schools in Gaza. That has led to hundreds of martyrs and to the injury of many civilians, including children and women. The perpetrators of all those crimes cannot seriously seek a genuine and lasting peace because that policy undermines all prospects for peace and for a two-State solution. The time has therefore come for the international community, especially the Quartet and the Security Council, to shoulder their responsibilities under international law and relevant resolutions of international legitimacy, including by taking all effective measures to ensure the necessary protection for the Palestinian people. As an urgent priority, the Security Council must uphold its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security. It must oblige the Israeli occupation authorities to stop immediately and fully all of their settlement activities and to stop immediately all acts of aggression and displacement in the city of Al-Quds, including in Sheikh Jarrah and other neighbourhoods of the holy city, because those measures are illegal, null and void. In addition, Israel must immediately stop its shelling of the city of Gaza and its targeting of unarmed civilians. The Republic of Yemen reiterates Jordan’s historical guardianship of the holy sites, both Islamic and Christian, in Al-Quds and its role in protecting the holy sites and their legal and historic status. We stress once again that we continue on the path that the Yemeni people have taken in supporting the struggle of the brotherly Palestinian people until they achieve all their legitimate aspirations to liberty and independence, in particular the establishment of a sovereign, independent Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 4 June 1967 borders and in a manner that is aligned with the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative. There can be no peace or stability in the region if the Palestinians do not obtain their legitimate and inalienable rights. In closing, it is indeed shameful for those who call for human rights and international law to ask the Palestinian people to guarantee the security of the occupier, and for Israel, the occupying Power, to claim that it is defending itself against its own victims. We do not have to be Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims or Christians to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to resist, gain their freedom and enjoy their dignity and land, as well as their independence. We must only be human beings with a conscience.

Chile would like to thank the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Group of Arab States for having convened this General Assembly meeting, given the need to take urgent measures to mobilize the international community in order to address the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and to highlight the fact that a just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine in all its aspects must remain a priority on the United Nations agenda. The Government of Chile issued a communiqué on 11 May in which it made clear its deep concern about the escalation of violence that began in Jerusalem and later spread to other cities, as well as its grave consequences in terms of innocent lives. Any action that indiscriminately targets the civilian population is unjustifiable, seriously contravenes humanitarian law and must be totally repudiated by the international community. Our country, as it has already stated on many occasions in multilateral forums, condemns once again the escalation of violence, the disproportionate use of force in densely populated areas by Israel and the indiscriminate launching of rockets by Hamas. We call upon the parties to immediately halt their fire and to return to the existing mechanisms for dialogue. The members of the international community must individually and collectively foster a peace process that promotes the resumption of negotiations and responsible behaviour by the parties. In that regard, we reiterate that the construction and expansion of Israeli settlements on Palestinian territory is jeopardizing the viability of the two-State solution based on the 1967 borders. Chile reiterates its support for resolution 2334 (2016), which was adopted in December 2016, which condemns all measures aimed at changing the demographic composition, character and status of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. We once again urgently call on the parties to fulfil that international obligations in terms of protecting civilians. Attacks against civilians, in both Gaza and Israel, violate international humanitarian law. Chile once again condemns the violence committed against civilians by all parties to the conflict, in particular violence against women and children. We believe that it is crucial to take measures to protect the most vulnerable. Both parties must therefore allow for the delivery of the humanitarian aid necessary for those effects to be mitigated. In conclusion, Chile’s unwavering stance is the promotion of a negotiated solution to the conflict that is in line with international law and the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, on the basis of two independent States, recognizing the right of both peoples to live in harmony within safe and recognized borders.

I would like to read out Libya’s statement on behalf of Her Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Najla Mangouch, who could not attend today’s meeting. “At the outset, I should like to commend the efforts of the President of the General Assembly to convene this emergency meeting based on the request made by the Group of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation as well as the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, given that the Security Council has not to date been able to adopt an outcome document or reach a consensus position among its members on the oppression facing Palestinians in the occupied territory. “We hope that this meeting will express a position that meets the aspirations of the peoples of the world, who took to the streets, avenues and squares, angrily denouncing what the Palestinian people are facing as a result of aggression and crimes against humanity. We look forward to the Organization taking a courageous role that reflects the conscience of humankind and putting a halt to the extremely dangerous events witnessed in the occupied Palestinian territories. “The practices of the occupying forces have crossed all limits. They have clearly violated all international laws and norms as well as the principles of human rights. It is not acceptable anymore to stand idly by. We are witnessing genuine war crimes being committed against civilians in the Gaza Strip, beginning during the days of Eid al-Fitr. As a result, more than 200 martyrs have fallen, including women and children, and hundreds have been injured. The occupying forces have used the harshest weapons, in addition to the events that ignited the crisis, when the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque were broken into, which is a crime, preventing worshippers from practicing their religious rites during the holiest days of the month of Ramadan. There have been continued aggressions against Muslim and Christian holy sites as well as attempts to alter the identity of the city of Jerusalem, in addition to Israel’s apartheid practices leading to the evacuation and forced displacement of Palestinian families from the city, as happened in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. “We would like to reiterate the rejection and condemnation by the people and the Government of Libya of such aggressions, crimes and violations, which require the international political will necessary to halt acts of killing and destruction, guarantee the rights of the Palestinian people, in line with international law and international humanitarian law, and put an end to the policy of double standards, which equates the aggressor and the aggressed, and grant one side but not the other the right to self-defence. ”The Palestinian question is a just cause. The humanitarian suffering there has continued for more than 73 years. Those years of conflict and the attempts made to settle it in line with international resolutions and terms of reference make clear that there can be no solution without addressing the root causes of the question and recognizing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, first and foremost their right to an independent State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. “I call upon the Assembly today to seize the opportunity presented by this emergency meeting and take a clear stance expressing international legitimacy, as provided for in United Nations resolutions, stressing the rights of the Palestinian people and rejecting all the practices of the occupying Power. I call on the Secretary-General, whose efforts we commend, to redouble his contacts with world leaders in the light of the international position that rejects the events in the Palestinian territories. “We hope that the Security Council will soon be able to shoulder its responsibilities in line with its prerogatives to maintain international peace and security. We also hope that the news we heard a while ago about ending the military operations in Gaza Strip will be true as a result of the international momentum that we are witnessing today.”

I thank the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Volkan Bozkır , for having convened today’s special urgent meeting. We echo the warnings by the Secretary-General, António Guterres, voiced earlier that the cycle of conflicts in the Middle East, especially the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, is cause for serious concern owing to its potential to further accelerate tensions at all levels. The conflict, which we have all followed over the past two weeks, between Israel and Palestine has resulted in numerous fatalities and grave human suffering on both sides. We therefore wholeheartedly welcome the ceasefire recently achieved through the efforts of Egypt, the United States and other actors. Now, given the fragility of the ceasefire, it is extremely important that all sides refrain from acts that could lead to further casualties and endanger the lives of civilians. We call on all parties to refrain from provocative acts in eastern Jerusalem and around Al-Aqsa mosque. From this forum we appeal to all political, communal and religious leaders to spare no effort to uphold the ceasefire and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, with a view to building confidence and reducing further threats. We call on both sides to work toward solutions through engaged negotiations to achieve peace and, more important, ultimately lead to a political settlement based on the principle of two States for two peoples. Such a concept should guarantee the inalienable right of Palestinians to statehood together with Israel’s right to security. Kazakhstan’s long-standing policy is to fully support the creation of an independent State of Palestine peacefully coexisting with Israel within the 1967 borders. We join others in stressing that the two- State solution is the only viable option for a durable peace, to be reached by dialogue in keeping with the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant Security Council resolutions. Other mechanisms and initiatives, both bilateral and multilateral, including the road map for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and in a revival of the Middle East Quartet or its adaptation to the current context, should be used to resolve the current situation. Kazakhstan reiterates the critical need to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in its critical role in mitigating the deteriorating situation in Gaza and promoting long-term development. The blockade, which has lasted for more than a decade now, has deprived people of their basic rights and left more than two thirds of the population dependent on humanitarian aid. As we are seeing today, the current situation is one of deepening poverty, unemployment and consequent chronic economic regression, all of which fuel further conflict. Kazakhstan has been a donor country to UNRWA for years, and this year we made our regular contribution to support the work of the Agency. Finally, Kazakhstan stands ready to join all collective mediation efforts calling on all Israeli and Palestinian leaders to demonstrate the political will needed to enable both sides to live in peace, security, progress and prosperity, the long-cherished goals of both peoples.

We strongly condemn the escalation in and around East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank, which has resulted in multiple civilian casualties, including women, young people and children. In that regard, Ukraine forcefully denounces the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israeli territory by Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza, and we are concerned about reports that rockets have also been launched from Lebanon and Syria. The delegation of Ukraine recognizes Israel’s right to legitimate self-defence and would like to remind the Assembly of the President of Ukraine’s appeal for a de-escalation of the situation in order to save lives. We emphasize that Israel has the inherent right to defend itself from missile attacks. We stress, however, that all parties should make it a top priority to take all necessary precautions when conducting military operations to ensure the protection of civilians, especially women and children. In that context, Ukraine is deeply concerned about reports that Hamas is using civilian infrastructure and civilians as a cover for its operations. Given the current developments in the Gaza Strip, which has a population of around 2 million people, including more than 1,500 Ukrainian citizens, we call on all the parties concerned to grant immediate and unhindered humanitarian access so as to ensure the free flow of aid, goods and persons to and from Gaza. We would also like to recall our long-standing position on the settlements, an issue that must be addressed in line with the relevant United Nations resolutions. The Middle East peace process remains at the heart of any effort to restore regional stability. Ukraine has consistently supported that crucial process and the principle of a two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine coexisting in peace and security. Against the backdrop of the recent escalation of tensions, effective diplomatic efforts must be made in order to bring an end to the violence and renew meaningful negotiations to implement a two-State solution. We also listened very carefully to the Security Council debate on Sunday 16 May (S/2021/480) and would like to note that the eyes of the international community are on the Security Council, since that principal United Nations organ has the primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, conferred on it by all the States Members of the United Nations, which have agreed that the Council acts on their behalf in discharging its duties and responsibilities. Last but not least, my country is experiencing first-hand the tragic consequences of the violation of international law, and that is why Ukraine has consistently and firmly insisted on respect for international law by everyone, everywhere.

We thank the President for convening this timely meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine. South Africa expresses its gratitude for this initiative to the Niger and Algeria, in their capacity, respectively, as the Chairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Group of Arab States. We are pleased that the Coordinating Bureau of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (NAM) has joined this urgently needed initiative. My delegation associates itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of Azerbaijan, on behalf of NAM, and Comoros, on behalf of the Group of African States (see A/75/PV.67). I would now like to add some remarks in my national capacity. Over the past two weeks, we have seen innocent civilians, including children and women, being attacked and killed. We have seen civilian infrastructure bombarded, including health and education facilities. We have seen the media attacked and freedom of the press undermined. Those actions are all being perpetrated by a State that portrays itself as a democracy, under the false guise of self-defence. Do we, as the States Members of the United Nations, continue to merely witness those atrocities and violations of international law, or do we, as part of the global Organization tasked with saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war, take action or, at the very least, say something? The Security Council, which is mandated under the Charter of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security, has so far failed to act. Should the Council be unable or unwilling to act, the responsibility will fall on us, the members of the General Assembly, to collectively respond to these grave breaches of international peace. At the outset, we must express our concern about the double standards of certain members of the Security Council, who, through their persistent inaction, have used their membership in the Council to condone these violations of international law. When the Council is quick to act in some cases and not in others, the selective application of its mandate undermines its credibility and is all the more reason for its urgent reform. Because of the failure of the Security Council, we, as members of the General Assembly, must take it upon ourselves to work to bring an end to the decades-long suffering of the Palestinian people, and to effectively contribute to peacemaking and peacebuilding in the Middle East. South Africa firmly condemns Israel’s continuing escalation of its military attacks on Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip and occupied East Jerusalem We reiterate our call for an immediate cessation to all attacks. Every effort must be made to call for de-escalation and an end to the attacks that are causing devastation, fear, death and misery. We express our condolences to the families of all who have been injured or have lost their lives. These actions, including the retaliatory response from Gaza, must be seen in the context of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land, the planned and pending eviction of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods, as well as the continued denial of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, equality, justice and human rights. Israel’s brazen and callous military assault over the past two weeks has resulted in the loss of human lives and the destruction of Palestinian livelihoods and civilian infrastructure, with children, women and the elderly being the worst affected by such actions. Israel’s actions justify the urgent intervention of the international community, including the International Criminal Court, which was set up to address crimes against humanity. They are a blatant violation of international law and show a total disregard for successive General Assembly and Security Council resolutions. As members of an organization founded on the principles of maintaining international law, peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights, we cannot stand by and watch as one country’s contempt for the United Nations tarnishes what we have accomplished over the past 76 years. Nor can we countenance the continued denial of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. South Africa is gravely concerned about the already precarious humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by the coronavirus disease pandemic and now by the intensified military assault. We appeal to Member States and the international community to provide much-needed humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced persons and refugees. Similarly, Israel, the occupying Power, must open all humanitarian corridors to enable the safe passage of vital humanitarian aid, medicine and medical equipment. The international community must remain committed to working to achieve a situation where the fundamental human rights and freedoms of all people on both sides of the Green Line  — in Palestine and Israel — are promoted and respected, and where all can live free from violence, occupation and oppression on the basis of race, religion or any other status. We must call for an urgent political process based on inclusive dialogue, without preconditions, that can lead to a peace plan that will see those rights and values realized. The peace plan must focus on a lasting solution premised on a just settlement, with just laws based on human rights that facilitate equality and equity for all who have a right to live in the territories of Israel and Palestine. That includes sovereign equality between States. In conclusion, I would like to quote President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, who said a few days ago, “As lovers of freedom and of justice, we stand with the Palestinian people in their quest for self- determination, but also in their resistance against the deprivation of their human rights and the denial of their dignity. As citizens of a country that was able to turn its back on race-hatred and bloodshed and build an inclusive society rooted in human rights for all, it is our collective hope that the people of Israel and Palestine will follow a similar path, that they will find each other and that they will find peace.”

Malta aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier by the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer (see A/75/PV.67), and would like to add some remarks in its national capacity. Malta is gravely concerned about the serious escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. All acts of violence must come to an immediate halt. It is important to ensure the protection of civilians, unimpeded humanitarian access and the safety and security of humanitarian personnel. We are closely monitoring developments on the ground and welcome the news that the Israeli security cabinet has unanimously accepted the Egyptian initiative for a mutual ceasefire. We urge all sides to exercise maximum restraint at this delicate juncture and thank Egypt for its efforts in brokering this deal. We want to emphasize the disproportionate impact this conflict is having on children. We stress that any form of violence against children is completely unacceptable and must end. Malta expresses its condolences to the families of all victims. There will be no peace until both Israelis and Palestinians enjoy equal human rights in two sovereign and secure States, recognizing each other’s right to exist. The Israeli- Palestinian conflict cannot be resolved unless the Palestinians and Israelis enjoy the same rights and freedoms that are guaranteed under international law, both in Israel and in the occupied territories. It is crucial to stop the violence and implement the ceasefire. We recognize Israel’s right to defend itself and its citizens and condemn the firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip. We also recognize that Israel must exercise its right to self-defence in line with the principle of proportionality and with international law. Malta reaffirms its long-standing position in support of a two-State solution along the pre-1967 borders, with two States living side by side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as their common capital, in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions and internationally agreed parameters. Final-status issues, including the status of Jerusalem, must be permanently resolved through direct, impartial and fully inclusive negotiations between the parties. Malta fully supports the efforts being undertaken to address the crisis by Mr. Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General; Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission; and Mr. Sven Koopmans, European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, as well as other actors in the region. We trust that their efforts will result in a cessation of all hostilities and acts of violence and that the parties will return to the negotiating table in pursuit of an equitable and durable solution to this long-standing conflict. We should not fail to underline that peace and security also have a crucial humanitarian impact, as any ongoing conflict puts at risk the health, safety and livelihood of innocent civilians. Malta underlines the crucial role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in these difficult times and extraordinarily trying conditions. We want to reiterate our call for humanitarian groups and actors, particularly UNRWA, to be able to have timely access to Gaza and to enable the distribution of humanitarian supplies there in accordance with international law. The absence of supplies hinders the provision of relief to the distressed population and especially to vulnerable people such as pregnant women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly. The conflict conditions also prevent the free and equitable distribution of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines to people who urgently need them. The Maltese Government therefore urges the responsible authorities to enable the free distribution of vaccines to individuals in the Gaza Strip, which would prevent an even worse outbreak of COVID-19 in an already very difficult humanitarian situation. We call on the international community and donors to redouble their efforts to make sure that UNRWA has adequate resources to continue its operations in providing the necessary protection and services for Palestinian refugees. Malta intends to disburse a financial contribution during the coming weeks.

We thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this important and timely plenary meeting. Peru deeply regrets the violence in Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, in particular the devastation caused to the civilian population. We express our deep regret for the hundreds of dead and wounded, many of them minors, as well as for the destruction of critical infrastructure, including schools, health centres, shelters and media facilities, which has mainly affected Gaza, with no solution to this protracted conflict in sight. The parties insist on blaming each other and justifying their actions, thereby increasing mistrust and encouraging hateful rhetoric and extremism. We deplore the persistence of these hostile dynamics, the indiscriminate violence of Hamas and the disproportionate Israeli responses. International humanitarian law and human rights are blatantly disregarded amid a climate of impunity that fuels a highly volatile environment with unpredictable consequences for the region and the world at large. We are particularly alarmed by the marked deterioration of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, attributable to the current escalation, but also to the confinement that goes back more than 13 years, the consequent lack of opportunities and the severe impact of the coronavirus disease that has been exacerbated in this context. The Israeli authorities must facilitate safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance, as well as the unrestricted flow of essential goods. We reject the generalization that the entire population of Gaza are members of Hamas. In the current delicate circumstances, Peru calls on the leaders of both sides to show concrete signs of moderation and commitment to peace. It is imperative, in the immediate term, to commit to a ceasefire as an essential measure to protect the civilian population and strengthen diplomatic action, as requested by Secretary-General António Guterres. We also wish to reaffirm our commitment to the only solution to the Palestinian question that we consider viable and consistent with international law: that of two States with internationally recognized and secure borders, to be negotiated directly between Israel and Palestine on the basis of the borders in force until 1967, and which must also lead to the determination of the final status of Jerusalem. Peru emphasizes that reaching this solution requires Israel’s compliance with the relevant Security Council resolutions. Specifically, we consider it urgent that its authorities put an end to the illegal policy of settlements, demolitions of buildings and evictions in the occupied Palestinian territories, as they undermine the two-State solution and contravene the provisions of resolution 2334 (2016). We also urge them to respect the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem and to refrain from any action aimed at altering its legal status or demographic composition. We welcome the willingness expressed by Secretary-General António Guterres and several countries, particularly those that have historically participated in this process, to use their good offices. Finally, we emphasize the need to revitalize the Quartet and for the Security Council and the General Assembly to be able to reach minimum consensus and act firmly in situations such as the one that brings us together today. The risk of escalation in the Middle East must be addressed as a major threat to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Japan expresses its serious concern about the devastating situation surrounding Israel and Palestine. In particular, we have seen on a daily basis the launching of rockets by Palestinian militants in an indiscriminate manner as well as military operations by the Israel Defense Forces, both of which have caused many civilian casualties on each side. There have also been a series of acts of violence in the West Bank including East Jerusalem and in Israel. Japan strongly condemns acts of violence and extends its condolences to the victims and their families. In this regard, Japan stresses the importance of protecting civilian facilities, including United Nations-related sites, and humanitarian access to the affected people in Gaza. Japan is convinced that the issues of the Middle East peace process can never be solved through violence but only through negotiations based on relevant Security Council resolutions and internationally agreed parameters, as well as through efforts aimed at building mutual trust between the parties to the conflict. The situation runs counter to the efforts by the international community to seek a two-State solution wherein the State of Israel and a future independent State of Palestine live side by side in peace and security. The ceasefire agreement just announced by the parties should be fully implemented, preventing further escalation of the situation. Japan strongly urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint to end the vicious cycle of violence as early as possible and to prevent harrowing casualties involving innocent civilians.

Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) (see A/75/PV.67) and would like to add the following remarks in its national capacity. We remain extremely concerned by the escalation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, including in and around Gaza. We are dismayed at the large number of civilian casualties, including children, and express our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families. The priority now is to stop the violence and immediately adopt de-escalation measures. We call on the parties to engage constructively with ongoing mediation efforts, especially by the Middle East Quartet and its members, including the EU. Italy firmly condemns the indiscriminate launch of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel by Hamas and militant groups. These actions are unacceptable and must cease immediately. While recognizing Israel’s legitimate right to protect its population, we emphasize that Israel’s military response must be proportionate and respectful of international humanitarian law. Preventing the loss of civilian lives is the priority. Any act of violence, provocation or incitement to hatred must end. All parties should act responsibly and contain extremists. The status quo of the holy sites must be strictly respected. Hostilities have shown once again that the humanitarian and socioeconomic situation in Gaza is unsustain-able and must be addressed in line with relevant Security Council resolutions. The possible evictions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah and other areas in East Jerusalem remain an issue of serious concern. We recall that settlement activities, demolitions, confiscations and evictions are illegal under international law and jeopardize the realization of a two-State solution. Once the guns are silenced — and in this respect we have noted the encouraging news of these last hours — it is of paramount importance to relaunch a political track by identifying a path aimed at restoring mutual trust and at creating an environment conducive to restarting meaningful negotiations. We urge both parties to show their commitment and embark on such a path. Only by addressing the root causes of conflict will the vicious cycle of violence finally be broken. In this regard, Italy remains strongly committed to a just, viable and directly negotiated two-State solution in line with international law and Security Council resolutions and rejects all actions that could undermine the prospects of this occurring. We underscore the central role of the Middle East Quartet as the only internationally recognized format for mediating the peace process. Both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in peace and security, side by side with Jerusalem as the capital of both of their States. Italy will continue to work tirelessly with the EU and all international partners to achieve the goal of a durable and sustainable peace in the Middle East.

I would first like to thank the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s debate, and I extend my appreciation to the Secretary-General for his briefing (see A/75/ PV.67). The Republic of Korea expresses its serious concern over the high number of civilian casualties, including children, caused by the indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza and by the response thereto. We extend our sincere condolences to the families of all those who have lost loved ones in the violence. Fighting must stop now. In no circumstances can violence against innocent civilians be justified. In this vein, we welcome the ceasefire announced today, and we commend the tireless diplomatic efforts made to this end by international partners, including Egypt and the United States. However, a ceasefire can only be a starting point. My delegation expresses its hope that the ceasefire will last and lead to the restoration of calm and enduring peace. We call on the parties to seize this important momentum. My delegation expresses its concern about the tensions and violence in East Jerusalem as well as the inter-communal violence across Israel. We urge the exercise of maximum restraint and respect for the status quo at the holy sites. My delegation is also gravely concerned at the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation. The immense suffering brought on civilians by the hostilities are exacerbating the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease pandemic. My delegation reaffirms our full support for the efforts of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to improve the humanitarian situation in Palestine, and we call on all parties to ensure full, unhindered humanitarian access and to fully respect international law, including international humanitarian law. My delegation expresses its strong support for the Secretary-General, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and relevant international partners, including the Middle East Quartet in their efforts to end hostilities and de-escalate tensions. We call on the parties concerned to co-operate with the international community’s efforts aimed at establishing lasting peace between Israel and Palestine on the basis of a negotiated two-State solution in line with relevant United Nations resolutions as well as international law and bilateral agreements. As a staunch supporter of our collective efforts to create peace and stability in the region, the Republic of Korea reaffirms its commitment to continuing its constructive role to this end.

Albania is following with deep concern the continuing escalation of violence in and around Gaza and in Israel. The human toll has been devastating. The images of destruction and the lives lost, especially of women and children, are heartbreaking. These images are a tragic reminder of the unacceptable cost that is inflicted upon civilians when there is no dialogue and weapons do the talking. We are also alarmed by the impact the violence is having on journalists, humanitarian workers and medical personnel, whose roles are crucial and must be protected and respected. Albania fully supports the statement made by the Head of Delegation of the European Union (see A/75/ PV.67) and joins other friends and allies in calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. We urge all sides to bring violence to an end and work towards reducing tensions. The indiscriminate firing of rockets against civilian areas by Hamas and other terrorist groups is absolutely unacceptable, and it must stop immediately. There is never any justification for targeting civilians. Like all countries in the world, Israel has the right to live in peace and to guarantee the security of its population when threatened by violent actions or attack. As with every country in the world, it is imperative that this right to self-defence is exercised proportionately and in full compliance with international law. In view of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the loss of innocent lives and destruction, it is imperative that all military actions cease immediately. Albania is very concerned about the dire humanitarian situation of the civilian population in Gaza, which is already suffering under a blockade. All actors should work to guarantee access for aid and to protect humanitarian and medical personnel, as well as ambulances. We urge all the parties to avoid actions that undermine a peaceful solution, and to uphold and respect the historic status quo of the holy sites and the right to worship. The current conflict is only the latest in a cycle of violence that repeats itself every few years. A lasting ceasefire for the most recent round of fighting is a matter of urgency. The ceasefire that was just agreed between Israel and Hamas should be fully implemented. It is time to end the cycle of violence. Israelis and Palestinians have an equal right to live in dignity and prosperity, but that can happen only if all the parties avoid actions that undermine the possibility of a peaceful future. Albania also opposes evictions in East Jerusalem, home demolitions and settlement expansion. Indeed, we oppose any action that constitutes an obstacle to peace and puts a negotiated two-State solution further out of reach. At the same time, we have consistently and unreservedly supported the international community’s efforts aimed at establishing two independent States living side by side in peace, within secure and recognized borders, where both Israelis and Palestinians should be able to enjoy equal freedom, prosperity and democracy  — a functional State of Palestine and a secure State of Israel with Jerusalem as their capital, respecting all the relevant United Nations resolutions and internationally agreed documents.

Luxembourg aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer (see A/75/PV.67). We are extremely concerned about the recent escalation of violence and civil unrest in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. We condemn the firing of rockets by Hamas and other terrorist groups against Israel, which has already claimed 12 people’s lives. This is unacceptable and must cease immediately. We are not questioning Israel’s right to defend itself. However, we insist firmly on the principle of proportionality and respect for international humanitarian law and ensuring the protection of civilians, especially children. Those principles are crucial and non-negotiable. At least 65 children in Gaza have already lost their lives due to the recent bombings, which is deplorable. In that context, we would like to remind members of the Security Council’s unanimous adoption on 7 March 2014 of resolution 2143 (2014), on children and armed conflict, during Luxembourg’s presidency of the Council (see S/PV.7129). That resolution was designed to improve the protection of children in conflict situations and to hold accountable those who commit violations and abuses against children that contravene international law. In that connection, we support UNICEF’s call to action to protect children in armed conflict. Given the gravity of the current situation, it was urgent and essential to work to achieve an immediate ceasefire and guarantee access to humanitarian aid, and particularly necessary to put an end to the cycle of violence. Thanks to the international efforts of the Secretary-General and various Member States, including neighbours of the countries in question, we welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire this afternoon. We hope that the ceasefire will be respected and that it will pave the way for a resumption of political talks to resolve the conflict. A resumption of the Quartet’s diplomatic efforts would also be highly useful in that context, as would mobilization around other initiatives cited in this Hall today. We would like to underscore that the recent escalation of violence did not happen overnight — quite the contrary. The region has been suffering under the Israeli occupation since 1967. In recent years, the concept of a two-State solution, with Jerusalem as the capital of both Israel and Palestine, has been systematically challenged by the Israeli settlement policy, which includes demolitions and forced displacement. The events of recent weeks, including the postponement of the Palestinian elections, the threat of eviction of Palestinian families who have lived in Sheikh Jarrah for generations and the violence against worshippers in Al-Haram Al-Sharif during Ramadan, have confirmed that the possibility of a two-State solution is in greater danger than ever before. Luxembourg has always strongly supported it, but the current reality is a long way from that goal, sadly. That is why we must also focus on the rights of the Palestinian people and address the structural inequalities that separate Israelis and Palestinians.

We thank the President for convening this very important debate. We align ourselves with the statement made by the representative of Azerbaijan on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (see A/75/PV.67). We are concerned about the heightened tension and violence between Israelis and Palestinians, which have led to rising numbers of civilian casualties on both sides, as well as destroying or damaging infrastructure that is essential to the survival of the civilian population. We condemn the indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on civilians, especially women and children. We welcome the announcement of a ceasefire and urge all the parties concerned to keep their promise to make it a reality and ultimately a permanent one. We commend all efforts by the international community, including the countries and organizations of the region, the Secretary-General and the Security Council and its members, to help de-escalate tensions. Meanwhile, it is worrying to hear the reports on the deteriorating humanitarian situation that has resulted from the violence. Dire living conditions, health-care shortages, water scarcities, lack of electricity and rising food insecurity, among other things, are endangering millions of people in need. The displacement of more than 58,000 Palestinians, many of them living in crowded shelters, has heightened the risk of the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The destruction of the only COVID-19 testing laboratory in Gaza — where the rates of positive COVID-19 tests are among the world’s highest and vaccinations among the lowest — has worsened the fragile medical system and humanitarian situation. Our thoughts are with the people enduring fear and violence and the aid workers on the ground who are risking their lives to help those in need. To ensure that we have a ceasefire and make it permanent, all the parties concerned must exercise the utmost restraint and refrain from all acts that further complicate the situation. We reiterate our call to Israel to end its use of excessive force and all unilateral actions, including settlements, demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their homes. The status quo of the holy sites in East Jerusalem must be upheld and respected. International and regional actors, especially the Middle East Quartet, should continue their efforts, multilaterally and bilaterally, to push for an immediate end to the violence and to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible. With regard to the humanitarian situation, we appreciate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the aid organizations in Gaza for their tremendous efforts in the context of the violence, the special circumstances and the challenging financial situation, which existed even before the hostilities began. UNRWA has stepped up its emergency humanitarian response to assist those affected. We call on all parties, especially Israel, to ensure unimpeded humanitarian assistance to those in need and fulfil their obligations under international humanitarian law. In conclusion, we reiterate our steadfast support for the Palestinian people’s just cause and pursuit of their inalienable right. It is our position that the only viable way forward is through a two-State solution, including the establishment of a State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, peacefully coexisting alongside the State of Israel, with secure and internationally recognized borders based on the pre- 1967 lines, in accordance with international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant United Nations resolutions. Peace will remain elusive in the Middle East if the question of Palestine is not resolved. Viet Nam stands ready to join with other Members of the United Nations to contribute to the promotion of dialogue and negotiations within and beyond the United Nations, with a view to finding a just, comprehensive and sustainable settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that ensures peace and stability in the region.

I thank the President for convening today’s meeting. In the past week, the Security Council has held two closed meetings and an open debate on the developments in the Middle East (see S/2021/480) over the past 10 years. At those meetings, we expressed our deep concern about the violence in Jerusalem, especially at Al-Haram Al-Sharif, the Temple Mount, during the holy month of Ramadan, and the possible eviction process in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods of East Jerusalem, an area that is part of an arrangement facilitated by the United Nations. We also expressed our apprehension about the spread of violence to other parts of the West Bank and Gaza. We note with concern that the ongoing violence has not yet abated, despite hectic diplomatic parleys and efforts by the international community. We condemn the indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel, which have caused the deaths of a number of civilians. India also tragically lost one of its nationals during the rocket fire — a caretaker living in Ashkelon. The retaliatory strikes into Gaza have resulted in deaths and destruction as well. We deeply mourn the deaths of innocent civilians, including the Indian national, in the current cycle of violence. We reiterate our strong condemnation of all acts of provocation, violence and destruction. As we have continually emphasized, what is needed right now is immediate de-escalation to arrest the spiral of violence. We urge that any action that exacerbates tensions should be avoided, as well as any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo. The recent incidents have once again underscored the need for an immediate resumption of dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian authorities. Direct and meaningful negotiations will go a long way to building mutual trust and establishing lasting peace and stability. We believe that every effort should be made to create the conditions conducive to a resumption of direct talks between Israel and Palestine. India will continue to provide assistance, including by supplying essential medicines and pandemic-relief items to the Palestinian authorities. We support all ongoing diplomatic efforts, including on the part of the Middle East Quartet, to end the ongoing violence and seek a durable peace, in line with the vision of two States living side by side within secure and recognized borders.

The United Arab Emirates aligns itself with the statement made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Algeria on behalf of the Group of Arab States (see A/75/ PV.67). I would also like to thank the Niger, Algeria, and Azerbaijan for requesting the convening of this important meeting on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab Group and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. The United Arab Emirates is gravely concerned about the escalating spiral of violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. We offer our condolences to all the families of those killed and join others in calling for an immediate cessation of the violence and hostilities. In that regard, we thank Secretary-General António Guterres for his statement and appeal for an immediate ceasefire and his call to all the parties to initiate a political dialogue and exercise maximum restraint. We welcome today’s news of a ceasefire agreement and hope that it will be durable and contribute to the resumption of a credible wider peace process, while restoring calm and building confidence between the parties at the same time. The events of the past two weeks have been a sombre reminder of the urgent need for peaceful dialogue aimed at a long-term solution to ending the conflict and bringing peace to our entire region. The United Arab Emirates is alarmed by the actions that have been instituted against the Palestinian people since early May in violation of international law, including those at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the forced displacement of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, which has led to civilian casualties, including women and children. We stress that Israel must comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, and all the relevant United Nations resolutions. In particular, Israel must protect Palestinian civilians, cease building settlements and demolishing Palestinian property in the occupied Palestinian territory and halt the forced displacement of Palestinian citizens. In addition, my country underscores the fundamental importance of upholding the status of Jerusalem, in compliance with the relevant United Nations resolutions. We further emphasize the right of the Palestinian people to freely practice their religions and the importance of respecting the role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem, in preserving their legal and historical status quo. The sanctity of Jerusalem as a city of historic and religious importance for all three Abrahamic faiths must be upheld and protected. The ongoing violence of the past two weeks and the growing number of civilian casualties indicate that we must redouble international efforts to find a just, comprehensive and lasting peaceful solution to the Palestinian question, consistent with the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. The United Arab Emirates reaffirms its readiness to support all regional and international efforts aimed at advancing the Middle East peace process and achieving a two-State solution through the creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State, based on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid principles and the Arab Peace Initiative. We remain deeply concerned about and committed to addressing the backdrop of the wider deteriorating humanitarian and economic conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, which have worsened with the spread of the coronavirus disease pandemic and underline the urgent need to reach a lasting solution. We further stress the need for support from the international community to the Palestinian people, most urgently through the provision of vaccines and medical equipment. The United Arab Emirates will continue to work with its regional and international partners to achieve a better future for Palestinian, Arab and Israeli generations who deserve to live in safety and dignity in a stable and prosperous region. That cannot simply be the latest round of violence. It must be the last. The conflict and cycles of violence have endured for too long and can be stopped only by achieving real and lasting peace. The young people of our region, on all sides, cannot and must not be condemned to unending hatred out of a failure to recognize that the far braver stance would be to chart a lasting course to peace.

We are once again addressing the situation in Palestine and Israel  — an issue whose solution can be found in the principles and goals already outlined by the United Nations some time ago. We must acknowledge that we have not met those goals. Argentina remains deeply concerned about the outbreak of a new cycle of violence, with armed clashes between Israel and Hamas and other Palestinian organizations in the Gaza Strip. My country has already begun to address the issue. We have issued an urgent call to all stakeholders to curb the escalation of violence, which has led to overt conflict. We agree with the recent analysis of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. Regrettably, the violence has worsened. We are concerned about the High Commissioner’s warning of the commission of acts that could be classified as serious violations of international humanitarian law. All the parties must respect international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Attacks on Israeli and Palestinian civilians are therefore completely unacceptable. We understand that for there to be a comprehensive solution to the conflict, an immediate cessation of hostilities is crucial. Fortunately, that has already been announced. We deplore the reports that have so far been received, according to information provided by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, of the deaths of at least 257 Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including 69 children, and of 12 Israelis, two of them children, as well as thousands injured. The extent of the material damage is staggering. We are particularly concerned about the destruction of essential civilian infrastructure such as health centres and schools. In that context, we must also ensure the security of media outlets and their essential work in conflict areas and ensure that journalists and their workplaces are safe. We hope that the ceasefire we advocate will take immediate effect, for it is crucial. The strict preservation of the historical status quo in the holy sites of Jerusalem, as well as respect for international law, is a precondition for building on any truce. Diplomacy and negotiation alone can provide the tools that can help us achieve a just and lasting solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and Argentina supports all international efforts to attain that goal. We also support the work of Tor Wennesland, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. Argentina remains convinced that the only genuine solution to the conflict is the definitive emergence of an independent, democratic, viable and territorially contiguous Palestinian State that guarantees Israel’s right to live in conditions of peace and security. For its part, the United Nations, as a whole, must maximize its efforts and encourage the parties to move in that direction, based on the parameters recognized by the international community in line with the relevant United Nations resolutions, so as to resolve all outstanding final status issues. Here at the United Nations, we have established the necessary mechanisms and bodies to address the question of Palestine and we are committed to ensuring lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. It remains for us to honour the political commitment to achieving that goal, without excuses or delays.

First of all, we appreciate the convening of today’s important and timely meeting of the General Assembly on the question of Palestine. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Azerbaijan on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (see A/75/PV.67). Bolivia is deeply concerned about the recent events and dangerous deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. We strongly condemn the acts of aggression against the Palestinian civilian population over the past few days, which constitute a major military aggression by the occupying Power in the Gaza Strip that has led to the deaths of Palestinians, including children, and left hundreds of civilians injured. There is no question that Israel is the occupying Power. It has committed war crimes and inflicted collective punishment on the Palestinian people and is violating their right to life, freedom of movement, health and other aspects of life. Israel, as the colonizing and occupying Power, continues to use disproportionate military force to occupy Palestinian land. It confiscates property, tears down homes and transfers settlers to illegally built settlements. The blockade on Gaza has had disastrous humanitarian consequences. All of that represents a flagrant breach of international law, international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations. On top of that, the Palestinian people have no way out. There is no shelter or safe place. Families live in constant terror, with little hope of a better future. We fully agree with previous speakers that the gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed over the past few days should not go unpunished. The multilateral system guarantees the sovereignty and independence of all States, small and large alike. That is why the international community cannot remain paralysed with regard to the question of Palestine. In the past few days the situation has become a threat to international peace and security. That is why we request that this volatile situation be urgently addressed. We demand an end to the violence and to all illegal actions and provocations. We call for respect for international law and the relevant resolutions, including Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) and all the resolutions on Jerusalem. That is why Bolivia reiterates its unwavering support for a broad, fair and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which would enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and live in an independent and sovereign State, within pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Bolivia underscores that in addition to respect for international law and the resolutions of the United Nations, multilateralism is also the basis for a just solution to the question of Palestine. Lastly, we reiterate our unwavering support and commitment to the Government and the people of the State of Palestine, as well as to all international efforts towards a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Estonia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer (see A/75/ PV.67), and we would like to add some remarks in our national capacity. Estonia is deeply concerned about the escalation of violence in Israel and in the occupied Palestinian territory. The increasing number of civilian casualties on both sides is extremely alarming. All the parties have an obligation to protect civilians, especially children. Any indiscriminate targeting of civilian, humanitarian and media structures violates international law and must be avoided at all costs. We join the Secretary-General’s urgent appeal to all parties to immediately cease fighting, and we welcome the recent announcement of a truce by the parties to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza and call for it to take immediate effect. We strongly condemn the escalation that has resulted from the firing of rockets by Hamas and other militant groups on the Israeli civilian population. There can be no justification for such indiscriminate violence, and it must stop immediately. Israel has a legitimate right to self-defence against such attacks, but at the same time, it is essential to ensure proportionality in such actions in line with international humanitarian law. As the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates, it is vital to allow unhindered and sustained humanitarian access for those in need in Gaza. It is also important to calm the volatile situation and incitement around the Temple Mount, Al-Haram Al-Sharif. The status quo of the holy sites must be respected. We call on the political, community and religious leaders of both sides to make all efforts to calm the situation, which has the potential to escalate into a full-scale war. All parties should exercise maximum restraint and refrain from further provocation and incitement. We support every effort by international and regional actors to de-escalate the violence and reach a ceasefire. The solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be achieved only through meaningful negotiations. Estonia remains committed to supporting all efforts, especially by the Middle East Quartet, to resume direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians with a view to achieving a two-State solution, based on international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions.

The Czech Republic aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of the European Union., in its capacity as observer (see A/75/PV.67), and we would like to add the following remarks in our national capacity. We should not shy away from stating the obvious truths loudly and clearly. It is Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza that bear the primary responsibility for the outbreak of violence and tragic developments on the ground. They must immediately end their large-scale and unjustifiable rocket attacks, which target Israeli civilians and pose a direct threat to the security of Israel. The Czech Republic strongly condemns those attacks, against which Israel has a full and legitimate right to self-defence. For the past two weeks we have been observing the tensions and clashes in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, one of the most sorely tested parts of the world. The consequences of the ongoing escalation are devastating  — civilian casualties, including children, damage to civilian infrastructure and growing frustration. The violence and exasperation create an extremely dangerous and volatile situation, raising serious concerns that the conflict may proliferate further in the region. We should all agree that the hardest challenge ahead of us is doing our utmost to de-escalate the situation on the ground and prevent any further loss of human lives. The Czech Republic supports any meaningful initiative that can lead to an end to this ever-repeating cycle of violence. The European Union has demonstrated its readiness on various occasions to engage in mediation efforts in coordination with the United States and all regional partners. The Czech Republic remains committed to a two-State solution, reached as an outcome of direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Sadly, the barrage of rockets fired by terrorists from Gaza, targeting Israeli civilians, poses a direct threat to any effort to resume direct negotiations. The prospects for peace, for which we are all eager, are fading. Let me conclude by reiterating that Israel has every right to defend its citizens.

At the outset, on behalf of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, I would like to express our appreciation to the President, as well as the Chairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Group of Arab States and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, for mobilizing to convene an urgent plenary meeting on the question of Palestine, in the light of the rapidly deteriorating situation in Palestine and in Israel. The past week has seen the most severe and deadly escalation of violence since 2014, and has already claimed many innocent civilian lives, wounding thousands and traumatizing millions. We have all witnessed the daily worsening of the already dire and volatile situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. That has been caused by a rise in tensions owing to the ongoing threat of forced displacement and dispossession of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, the violent raids by Israeli forces on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, in which hundreds of Palestinian worshippers were injured, and the violent clashes between Israeli forces and extremist settlers and Palestinians. That was followed by an outbreak of fighting, with the launching of rockets by Palestinian armed groups from Gaza towards Israel, and disproportionate massive bombing by Israel’s armed forces against Gaza, in a deadly cycle of violence that we have witnessed too many times. Today we welcome the news of a ceasefire. At the same time, the recent escalation has caused many casualties and much suffering and destruction. Tragically, based on the reports we have so far, the fighting has claimed the lives of many civilians, including women, children and infants. At least 245 Palestinians in Gaza, including entire families and at least 68 children and 37 women, were killed by Israeli air strikes on civilian areas. Palestinian militants’ rockets killed 12 people in Israel, including two children, as well as one Indian and two Thai nationals. Israeli forces have used excessive and lethal force against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where 25 Palestinians, some of them children, have been killed since 7 May. Communal violence has also continued to increase in Israel, with hateful, racist attacks being perpetrated daily and excessive force being used by Israeli police against Palestinian citizens, at least 800 of whom have been detained. The Committee concurs with Tor Wennesland, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, that the toll of the deadly confrontation is too high and the consequences for Palestinians and Israelis, as well for the region generally, could be dangerous. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is becoming more dire by the day, aggravated by the 14-year blockade, the intra-Palestinian divisions, recurring hostilities and the coronavirus disease pandemic. The hostilities have displaced more than 58,000 Palestinians, who by and large are refugees from previous conflicts. Many of the newly displaced are seeking refuge in schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) across Gaza, with limited access to water and none to health care, food or other basic human necessities. The damage to infrastructure is daunting and the international community’s capacity to support yet another effort to rebuild Gaza is limited by the current economic climate. The Committee reiterates the Secretary-General’s appeal for an immediate cessation of hostilities and for enabling the delivery of much-needed medical and humanitarian aid to the people affected in Gaza. We urge support for UNRWA and the other United Nations agencies that are valiantly providing assistance to the Palestinian people, including in this time of emergency. In terms of accountability, the Committee would like to remind the Assembly that indiscriminate and deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian areas constitute war crimes. The parties that fail to respect international humanitarian law, including the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution, must be held accountable. The Committee commends Egypt’s efforts to help the parties agree to a ceasefire. However, that is just a first step in ending the suffering on both sides. Concrete and immediate action must be taken to revive the stalled peace process in order to achieve the just solution that has eluded us for so long. We call on Israel, the occupying Power, and the international community to ensure respect and support for the rights of the Palestinian people, including their inalienable right to security and to live in freedom and dignity in an independent and sovereign State. To that end, the Committee urges Member States that have not yet done so to consider recognizing the State of Palestine as a way to advance towards a just and fair two-State solution to this long-standing conflict. It is also vital to act decisively to address the underlying root causes of the conflict — the prolonged Israeli occupation and the denial of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. The cycles of Israeli- Palestinian violence can end only with a just political resolution to the conflict, including addressing all final status issues, such as the status of Jerusalem and the plight of Palestine refugees, along with an end to the occupation, and by ensuring the realization of a two-State solution on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions, international law and mutual agreements. The Committee will continue to advocate for the rights of the Palestinian people, engage representatives of both sides of the divide, Palestinians and Israelis alike, and strengthen efforts to return to advancing the realization of a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to a tragedy that has gone on for too long.

The Government of Uruguay is deeply concerned about the violence that has occurred over the past few weeks in East Jerusalem and that has left a number of people dead or injured. We agree with the statements by the representatives of other countries encouraging Israelis and Palestinians to make every effort to curb the escalating violence in the city, as well as to guarantee the security of all holy sites and preserve their historic and religious status. Uruguay also strongly condemns terrorist acts and the increase in the number of attacks carried out from Gaza on Israeli territory. Lastly, Uruguay reiterates its call to Israelis and Palestinians to resume negotiations and spur new hope for peace, security and stability in the entire region, as advocated by the international community.

In the past few days we have seen an unacceptable number of civilian casualties in Israel and Palestine, including, regrettably, several women and children. We would like to thank President Bozkır for convening today’s meeting of the General Assembly. Spain aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer (see A/75/PV.67). The priority now is an immediate cessation of all violence and the implementation of a ceasefire. We hope that the unconditional agreement reached between the parties today will be respected. The agreement took effect a mere 35 minutes ago and was reached thanks to the mediation efforts of Egypt and Qatar. Together with our European partners, we have continued to issue warnings about the increasing tensions and provocations that led to the recent outbreak of violence. We have also condemned the launching of rockets by Hamas against Israeli civilians. Spain recognizes Israel’s right to self-defence in response to indiscriminate terrorist attacks, but it must be carried out in line with the principle of proportionality and in strict adherence to international humanitarian law and the principles of precaution and distinction between combatants and civilians. In particular, medical infrastructure, ambulances and medical staff must not be threatened or attacked, and as the United Nations Safe Schools initiative states, schools and training centres must never be attacked. That is particularly relevant in Gaza, where, following the destruction of more than 800 buildings, approximately 50,000 people have had to take refuge in 58 schools managed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The time has also come to apply the new United Nations guidance on the protection of places of worship, particularly to ensure respect for the status quo in Jerusalem. Spain would like to express its support and gratitude for all the mediation efforts deployed by Member States and the United Nations in recent days in order to reach a ceasefire. The new war in Gaza, as well as the conflicts and incidents preceding it in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Israel, is yet another cruel and tragic reminder that a definitive solution must be found to the Palestinian question in accordance with international law. The message that emerges from the statements we have heard in the General Assembly is inescapable. The peace process must be resumed in order to halt the military occupation, put an end to the policy of illegal settlements and create the conditions for the establishment of a Palestinian State recognized by the entire international community. The Arab-Israeli conflict has gone on for far too long. In October, we will mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Madrid Conference, at which Palestinians and Israelis sat down together to negotiate for the first time. There can be no alternative to a two-State solution and to compliance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly, which should guide the negotiation process between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority. All of us — the international community and the parties concerned — must transform our lament for the innocent victims into an active commitment to an immediate cessation of the violence and the launching of a process that is truly capable of leading to a definitive solution that is accepted by the parties and will bring peace and security to the Middle East. We would like to express our solidarity and our commitment to ending this tragedy and opening the way to peace and a final negotiated solution.

Austria aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of the European Union (EU), in its capacity as observer (see A/75/PV.67). The images reaching us from Israel and the Gaza Strip are truly horrifying. Every innocent victim is one too many. Austria deplores the loss of civilian life, including of children, on both sides. The violence must end, and it must end now. We fully support the Secretary-General’s call for an immediate ceasefire, and in that respect welcome the announcement we have just received of a mutual ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, which must now be strictly adhered to and implemented. Both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in peace and security. In our talks with Israeli and Palestinian colleagues, we have the strong feeling that they fully share that conviction. We also know who it is who opposes that view, believes in terror rather than dialogue and chooses rockets over words, and that is Hamas. Austria unequivocally condemns the firing of rockets by Hamas and other terrorist groups from Gaza into Israel. There can be no justification for such acts, which must stop immediately. Indiscriminate rocket attacks have killed Jewish and Arab Israelis, a caregiver from India and two workers from Thailand. They have killed Palestinians in Gaza. Terrorist groups have even targeted crossing points where humanitarian supplies were being brought into Gaza to help those in need. That is shameful. Together with the European Union, Austria supports all international and regional partners, including the United States, Egypt and the United Nations, in their efforts to de-escalate and stop the violence. In the face of terror, Austria fully supports Israel’s right to self-defence, a right that must be exercised within the boundaries of international humanitarian law. We are also alarmed by the intercommunal violence in Israeli towns and cities. We support all voices calling for an end to such heinous acts and to incitement among both Jewish and Arab Israelis. Austria’s position on the Middle East peace process remains unchanged and in line with that of the European Union. Our guiding principle is and will remain international law when it comes to Israeli settlement activities, forced evictions and the demolition of Palestinian homes, as well as the special significance of the holy sites in Jerusalem and the importance of upholding the status quo for the Temple Mount, Al-Haram Al-Sharif. In that respect, we fully recognize the special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as the custodian of the holy sites. Genuine peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike can be achieved only through a political solution. For us, the goal is clear. It is a negotiated two-State solution enabling Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace and security. Together with the other members of the EU, we stand ready to support that process with partners in the region and beyond.

Hungary condemns, in the strongest terms, the latest missile attacks from the Gaza Strip on Israeli cities and civilians carried out by Hamas and other militant groups. We emphasize our full solidarity with Israel and recognize its right to self- defence. Hungary firmly believes that the senseless and indiscriminate violence must stop immediately. We are of the view that we need close attention to the use of appropriate rhetoric regarding the current situation and that we must avoid the adoption of any unbalanced text that unilaterally condemns Israel. It is important to recognize that a one-sided approach and one-sided statements only provoke terrorist groups into carrying out such horrifying acts, thereby leading to further escalations of the violence.

Guatemala has been carefully monitoring the recent hostilities between Israel and Palestine, about which we are deeply concerned. The increasing violence in the region is extremely alarming. My country would like to offer its condolences for the loss of human life as a result of the crossfire between the parties involved. We would also like to express our solidarity with the families of the victims and wish the wounded a swift recovery. In line with its peaceful vocation, Guatemala firmly condemns the acts of terror and provocations that have been perpetrated in the context of the conflict. We call for a halt to the use of force so as to prevent any further death or damage among the civilian population. We therefore welcome the ceasefire agreed to by the parties today, without preconditions, which is set to enter into force immediately with Egypt’s support as mediator. In that connection, we reiterate that the only way to achieve peaceful coexistence is through a resumption of direct negotiations between the parties concerned on the basis of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including with the facilitation of the Middle East Quartet, in the interests of the civilian populations and the restoration of peace and security to the region. We reiterate our call for finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in line with the principles of justice and the obligations set forth in the Charter of the United Nations. We believe that through dialogue it will be possible to reach joint solutions in order to safeguard all lives and ensure peace in the region.

Liechtenstein appreciates this opportunity to discuss the very worrisome situation in the Middle East in the General Assembly. Liechtenstein is gravely concerned about the escalation in and around Gaza, the violence in the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, as well as in Israel, and the impact on regional stability. We welcome the reports of the recent ceasefire agreement and urge all involved to fully adhere to it, halt any form of violence, demonstrate the utmost restraint and show willingness with regard to de-escalation. We emphasize the importance of ensuring that all actors demonstrate respect for international humanitarian law, in particular the principles of military necessity and proportionality. The indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza and the deliberate targeting of civilians are grave violations of international humanitarian law and have led to civilian deaths. The large numbers of civilian casualties, including many children, caused by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza are unacceptable. International humanitarian law and the basic principles for the protection of civilians that it provides for must be safeguarded at all times and those who violate them held accountable. We reiterate our position that a two-State solution based on the applicable international law, in particular international humanitarian law and the relevant Security Council resolutions, remains the only viable pathway to a peaceful, stable and secure Middle East. Liechtenstein is gravely concerned about Israeli settlement activities, notably the threatened evictions of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, and calls on Israel to cease them in accordance with its obligations under international humanitarian law. The violence, death and destruction of recent days must instil a sense of responsibility and of the urgent need for action in the Security Council. In line with the historic obligation of the United Nations and the Security Council’s mandate, the Council should help to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire and the cessation of all violence while addressing the long- standing and well-known causes of the conflict. A sustainable solution can be achieved only if the parties are willing to embark on credible and constructive negotiations in good faith and are assisted in their efforts to do so. Any acts that clearly violate the decisions of the Council and international humanitarian law and undermine a peaceful and sustainable solution to the crisis must end. In that respect, Liechtenstein calls on the Security Council to take steps to ensure the implementation of its own resolutions, and we note the statement issued by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on 3 March.

We commend the convening of this important debate on the situation in the Middle East, including on developments in the occupied Palestinian territories. We fully associate ourselves with the statement delivered by the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer (see A/75/PV.67), and I would like to add a few remarks in Slovakia’s national capacity. Slovakia is extremely concerned about the continued escalation of violence and calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and swift implementation of the ceasefire in order to protect civilians and ensure full humanitarian access to Gaza. More than 3,000 rockets aimed at civilian targets have been fired towards Israel in the past few days. Slovakia strongly condemns the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip, which directly harms civilians. Such attacks are unjustifiable under any circumstances and we call on Hamas to immediately stop such acts and renounce violence. We recognize Israel’s legitimate security needs. Israel has the right to defend its territory. Its response, however, must be proportionate and in line with international humanitarian law. We call for maximum restraint in the use of military and coercive means with regard to the security of the civilian population. The lives of innocent civilians have the same value in Israel and in Palestine. The dire humanitarian and socioeconomic situation in the Gaza Strip must also be urgently addressed. We recall the special significance of the holy sites and call for upholding the status quo put in place in 1967 for the Temple Mount/Al-Haram Al-Sharif and East Jerusalem in general. There can be no question that only the re-establishment of a political horizon and the resumption of dialogue can open a path towards relaunching the peace process and stopping the violence. We also acknowledge the importance of holding Palestinian elections, as well as securing a stable and functional Israeli Government as a way to help achieve tangible progress in the peace process. Slovakia is fully committed in its support for a two-State solution that meets Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, with the potential to bring a long- overdue end to the conflict. We strongly oppose all actions that undermine the viability of a two-State solution. Through their policies and actions, both sides must demonstrate a genuine commitment to a two-State solution in order to rebuild trust and create a path back to meaningful negotiations.

This week we have witnessed a dangerous escalation of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, including clashes in East Jerusalem and the firing of rockets from Gaza. The violence has already killed or injured hundreds of civilians, including, sadly, many children. We extend our condolences to the victims and their families. The death toll and levels of destruction are appalling. Too much pain has already been inflicted. We have welcomed the news of a ceasefire with cautious optimism. We hope that it represents a first step towards a sustained and unequivocal cessation of hostilities. It bears stressing that there can be no justification for any attacks on civilians. We condemn the indiscriminate launching of rockets towards Israeli population centres by Hamas and other militant groups. Such acts are unacceptable and must stop immediately. Additionally, the reports of innocent lives and civilian infrastructure damaged by Israeli air strikes in Gaza are extremely worrying, and we call on the Israeli security forces to exercise maximum restraint and fully respect international humanitarian law at all times while exercising their inalienable right to self-defence under the Charter of the United Nations. Time is of the essence and all the parties must strive to avoid escalation before it is too late. We call on all parties to protect medical and humanitarian facilities, prevent harm to journalists and respect the freedom of the press. It is also critical to ensure access for vital supplies to Gaza, given the deteriorating situation in the enclave made worse due to the spread of the coronavirus disease. Brazil remains extremely concerned about the clashes around places of worship in Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which should be a symbol of the city’s multireligious identity. We call for the historic and legal status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem to be upheld and respected and for the right to peaceful worship and assembly to be ensured. It should also be pointed out that the potential ruling evicting Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem, including the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, could further exacerbate the situation. We welcome the Israeli Supreme Court’s suspension of the ruling. With reports of rockets being launched from southern Lebanon and Syria, there is an increasing danger that the escalation will spill over into the region. In the face of such a threat to international peace and security, we expect the Security Council to speak with a unified voice, urging immediate de-escalation and the protection of civilian lives. No one should have to live in fear, seeking refuge in shelters from a barrage of violent attacks. No one should endure restrictions on basic rights or the constant threat of displacement. At the core of the current escalation of violence lie the unresolved matters that resulted in this situation, the legitimate Israeli demand for security and the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for justice. We firmly support political dialogue as the means to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, with Israel and Palestine living side by side within secure and internationally recognized borders. To that end, we urge the parties to engage in mediation efforts and to resume negotiations, as well as to refrain from unilateral actions. Brazil stands ready to contribute to actions that may help to achieve peace and security, and we encourage all well-intentioned States, particularly those with the greatest influence over the situation, to strive to alleviate tensions, prevent escalation and restore conditions conducive to productive dialogue.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on these items for this meeting. We shall hear the remaining speakers on Tuesday, 25 May, at 10 a.m. in this Hall.