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Statement by H.E. Dr. Riyad Mansour, Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, before the United Nations General Assembly, Agenda Item 38: Question of Palestine, Agenda Item 37: Situation in the Middle East, 29 November 2017, New York

30 November 2017 by

Mr. President,

It is with somber spirit that we gather in the General Assembly today in this debate on the question of Palestine, seventy years since the Assembly’s adoption of resolution 181 (II) and decision to partition Palestine, against the will and rights of the Palestinian people and leading to their Nakba in 1948. The infinite consequences of this decision continue to be borne out in the injustices being endured and witnessed to this day, as the Palestinian people are still being denied their rights, including to self-determination and to return, and a just, lasting and peaceful solution remains elusive. [Read more…]

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14 November 2017 – Israeli Confiscation of Palestinian Land and Eviction of Civilians

15 November 2017 by

Excellency,

I regret to inform you that, in the absence of any serious measures of accountability pursuant to Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) and the countless other relevant United Nations resolutions demanding the cessation of Israel’s illegal policies and measures in Occupied Palestine, including East Jerusalem, and an end to its more than half-century occupation, the occupying Power continues with its flagrant violations and methodical destruction of the two-State solution.

Following its recent provocative announcements regarding plans for the illegal construction of thousands more settlement units across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Israeli Government is forging ahead with its colonization and annexation schemes, escalating its confiscation of Palestinian land, demolition of Palestinian homes and properties, and its forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population.  This has included ongoing measures aimed at the forced transfer of thousands of Bedouin Palestinians from their lands. All of this is being done in grave breach of international law and direct and repeated violation of Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. [Read more…]

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11 October 2017 – More Illegal Israeli Settlements

18 October 2017 by

Israel’s constant provocative declarations and advancement of plans to construct and expand Israeli settlements throughout the Occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, in direct and grave contravention of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016), and in blatant defiance of the international community, continue to heighten tensions and to undermine any efforts to salvage the two-State solution on the 1967 lines and the prospects for peace.

In this connection, yesterday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a press release announcing its plans to construct 3,736 more settlement units throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. According to the Israeli human rights organization, Peace Now, Israel’s latest plans include the building of at least 2,413 settlement units in different stages, including in the heart of Al-Khalil (Hebron) and in the settlement of “Beit El” near Ramallah. Moreover, Peace Now reports that Israel announced the final approval of the new settlements of “Amihai” and “Migron”, as well as a new site for 30 so-called “temporary structures” on the Palestinian lands of Al-Khadr village intended as a new settlement for the Israeli settlers of “Nativ Ha’avot”. [Read more…]

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Statement by Ambassador Dr. Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, before the United Nations Security Council, Open Debate on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestine Question, New York, 18 October 2017:

18 October 2017 by

Mr. President,

I congratulate you on assuming the Security Council Presidency and on France’s able guidance and leadership of the Council this month.

I also thank UN Special Coordinator and Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, for his briefing and updates to the Council.

Mr. President,

We meet at a moment of significant and rapidly evolving dynamics as we witness important steps being taken for healing the painful Palestinian political division and achieving genuine reconciliation and national unity in Palestine.

In this chamber, we must reaffirm our abiding gratitude to Egypt, a member of this august Council and a fraternal Arab country, for the efforts exerted to help bring about the recent agreement signed by the leaderships of Fatah and Hamas in Cairo, on 12 October, and to support its implementation to restore the unified, legitimate Palestinian authority to the Gaza Strip, based on past agreements and the Palestine Liberation Organization’s political platform, and to ensure the effective functioning of the Palestinian national consensus government in Gaza in all aspects, including government institutions and at all crossings. [Read more…]

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25 September 2017 – Israeli violations continue unabated

25 September 2017 by

Excellency,

I write to you today once again in regards to Israel’s incessant and provocative declarations on plans to construct and expand Israeli settlements throughout the Occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, in direct and grave contravention of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016), and in blatant defiance of the international community.

Yesterday, 25 September 206, various Israeli media reported that the so-called Israeli Civil Administration is preparing to advance plans within the coming weeks for the construction of up to 2,000 new illegal settlement units across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, further entrenching its illegal colonial regime and further diminishing the viability of the two-State solution on the 1967 borders.

On this very same day Mr. Nicolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, presented the Secretary-General’s third report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), in which he reaffirmed that “Israel did not cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard as called for by the resolution.”  He further stated that, “since 20 June, Israel’s illegal settlement activities have continued at a high rate, a consistent pattern over the course of this year”, and that, “activity during this period was concentrated primarily in occupied East Jerusalem, where plans were advanced for over 2,300 housing units in July, 30 per cent more than for the whole of 2016.” [Read more…]

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11 August 2017 – Israeli violations continue unabated

11 August 2017 by

Excellency,

We are compelled to draw your attention to the ongoing rise in tensions and violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as Israel, the occupying Power, continues its military aggressions and human rights violations against the Palestinian people.  Israeli settlement activities, the blockade and bombardment of the Gaza Strip, home demolitions and evictions, military raids and inflammatory provocations, are exacerbating conditions on the ground and confirming Israel’s rejection of the peace that the State of Palestine remains committed to achieving, along with the rest of the international community.

In flagrant defiance of international law, including Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), and the consistent demands to cease its illegal, destructive settlement campaign in the Occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, the occupying Power continues to provoke and incite with repeated declarations regarding further plans to colonize the Palestinian land.  Just last week, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu laid the cornerstone for a new settlement compound with over 1,000 settlement units in the illegal “Beitar Illit” settlement located south of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. In a speech at the ceremony marking the start of construction, Netanyahu hailed his government’s continuous works on illegal settlements and serving the settler population, boasting, “no other government has worked for settlements like my government.” [Read more…]

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28 July 2017 – Tensions Continue at Al-Haram Al-Sharif

28 July 2017 by

Excellency,

I regret to inform of continued heightened tensions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, due to the illegal and repressive practices being carried out by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian people under its brutal occupation. In complete defiance of the unequivocal calls by the international community to de-escalate the situation in Occupied East Jerusalem, Israel continues its aggressions against the Palestinian civilian population, including worshippers and peaceful demonstrators and against holy sites in the City, particularly Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which houses Al-Aqsa Mosque.

As we have repeatedly appealed, we continue to call on the international community, particularly the Security Council, to work diligently to stem the dangerous deterioration to avert further bloodshed and instability, to ensure respect for the relevant resolutions, including with regard to the status of Occupied East Jerusalem as occupied territory and the prohibition of all acts aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the City, and to ensure respect for the historic status quo at Al-Haram Al-Sharif. [Read more…]

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Statement by Ambassador Dr. Riyad Mansour before the United Nations Security Council, Open Debate on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestine Question, New York, 25 July 2017

25 July 2017 by

Mr. President,

I congratulate you on your assumption of the Security Council Presidency this month, confident of China’s skilled leadership and guidance of this Council’s important work.

I also wish to thank the UN Special Coordinator and Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, for his briefing to the Council.

Before proceeding, we also renew our deep appreciation to Bolivia for its wise leadership of the Security Council in June, including its convening of the 20 June meeting of the Council to somberly mark and reflect on the 50th year of Israel’s foreign occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands since 1967. [Read more…]

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17 July 2017 – Israel’s Dangerous Measures to Alter the Historic Status Quo of Al Haram Al Sharif

18 July 2017 by

Excellency,

I write to alert you to the critical situation in the Occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, due to Israel’s relentless provocations and illegal actions against the Palestinian people.  The occupying Power continues daily to commit grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, which are exacerbating the humanitarian, social, economic, political and security situation on the ground.  As a result, the hardships faced by the Palestinian civilian population continue to mount and any real possibility and hope to achieve peace based on the two-State solution on the 1967 borders are vanishing. [Read more…]

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17 June 2017 – 50 Years of Israeli Occupation and No End in Sight to the Injustice

18 July 2017 by

Excellency,

Throughout this month, countries, civil society and individuals around the world have joined in solidarity with the Palestinian people as they solemnly marked fifty years of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip since 1967. As we reflect on this somber anniversary and the devastating impact of this brutal foreign occupation on the Palestinian people and their land, it is beyond regrettable that a political horizon to end this grave, massive injustice remains absent as Israel, the occupying Power, shows no indication or intention to halt its illegal policies and practices, and on the contrary only persists with its entrenchment of the occupation and its subjugation of the Palestinian civilian population. [Read more…]

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