Archives for February 2018

Statement by H.E. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, Delivered Before the United Nations Security Council on 20 February 2018

Excellency Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, President of the Security Council,

Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Excellencies Members of the Security Council,

Seventy years have passed since Palestine’s Nakba, from which 6 million Palestine refugees continue to suffer from the cruelty of exile and loss of human security. They continue to wander the world after the loss of their peaceful and stable lives in their homeland. They are part of the 13 million Palestinians, whose country has not yet been recognized as full Member State of the United Nations, despite the numerous resolutions reaffirming their right to self-determination and statehood on their national land.

We are the descendants of the Canaanites that lived in the land of Palestine 5,000 years ago and continuously remained there to this day. Our great people remain rooted in their land. The Palestinian people built their own cities and homeland and made contributions to humanity and civilization witnessed by the world. They established institutions, schools, hospitals, cultural organizations, theaters, libraries, newspapers, publishing houses, economic organizations, businesses and banks, with wide regional and international influence.

All of this existed before and after the Balfour Declaration issued by the British Government in 1917, a declaration by which those who did not own, giving to those who had no right. The British Government bears responsibility for the catastrophic consequences inflicted on the Palestinian people as a result.

Since then, and although our people remain under occupation, they continued their journey in building and developing their country with the establishment of their National Authority in 1994. Our national institutions are recognized by international organizations for their merit and work, which is based on the rule of law, accountability and transparency, and empowerment of women and youth in an environment of tolerance, coexistence of civilizations and non-discrimination. Moreover, we continue to strive to unite our people and land and to ensure one authority, one law, and one gun, and are determined to convene parliamentary and presidential elections. [Read more…]

12 February 2018 – Israeli Violations

Excellency,

As conditions continues to dangerously deteriorate, I am compelled draw your attention to the critical situation in the Occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem.  The illegal and destructive policies and practices by Israel, the occupying Power, continue to cause immense suffering among the Palestinian civilian population and to obstruct any potential for the peaceful resolution of this grave injustice.

Unprotected, despite the very clear provisions of international law according protection to civilians under foreign occupation, the Palestinian people continue to endure countless human rights violations and war crimes at the hands of the Israeli occupying forces and its illegal settlers.   The international community, in particular the Security Council, must confront this unlawful situation and cannot continue to turn a blind eye as the rights of an entire people and the most fundamental pillars of international law are being so egregiously breached.  Action must be taken to finally uphold international law and to bring an end to fifty years of Israeli occupation, along with all of Israel’s violations against the Palestinian people and their land.

The incidents mentioned below reflect only a few of the countless violations and crimes being perpetrated by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian people.  Israel’s belligerent military occupation is driven and sustained only by such illegal policies and practices that affect every single Palestinian, child, woman and man living under occupation, whether it be in Occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, or in the Gaza Strip, where nearly two million Palestinians continue to live in the world’s largest prison suffering massive collective punishment tantamount to a war crime. [Read more…]

8 February 2018 – Press Release: Ambassador Dr. Riyad Mansour Speaks at Columbia University

ضمن النشاطات الفلسطينية المتتابعة لمعالجة تداعيات القرار الأخير للإدارة الامريكية الحالية والمتعلق بالقدس، قدم السفير د. رياض منصور، المراقب الدائم لدولة فلسطين لدى الأمم المتحدة، محاضرة لطلاب الدراسات العليا قسم العلاقات الدولية في جامعة كولومبيا بنيويورك تحت عنوان ” متحدون من أجل السلام – أدوار مجلس الأمن والجمعية العامة”

السفير منصور، تحدث حول تبعات القرار الأمريكي الأخير غير القانوني والأحادي الجانب المتعلق بالقدس، وآلية تعاطي مجلس الأمن ومن ثم الجمعية العامة من خلال “متحدون من أجل السلام” مع هذا القرار، حيث أشار إلى أن الإجماع الدولي لرفض هذا القرار كان واضحاً، وقد عبرت عنه أربعة عشر دولة عضو في مجلس الأمن من خلال تصويتهم لصالح قرار قدمته مصر يُعيد التأكيد على ما سبق لمجلس الأمن والشرعية الدولية اتخاذه من قرارات بشأن القدس، هذا القرار الذي قتلته الإدارة الأمريكية الحالية بالفيتو، مشددا على أن هذا التصويت كان في جوهره دفاعاً عن القانون الدولي وقرارات الشرعية الدولية لا سيما قراري مجلس الأمن 476 و [Read more…]