Mr. President,
We warmly congratulate the Plurinational State of Bolivia on its Presidency of the Security Council and express our appreciation to you for your skilled leadership of the Council.
I thank UN Special Coordinator Nikolay Mladenov for his briefing to the Council today. I also extend our thanks to Mr. Hagai Elad, Executive Director of B’tselem, for his presentation, further exposing the dismal realities of the situation and sharing the serious concerns of civil society as they witness the distress of a people whose human rights are being so grossly violated and witness the destruction of the chances for peace and stability for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Mr. President,
Against this backdrop and in view of the many regrettable developments since our last debate, including escalating punitive measures against the Palestinian people and leadership, it is necessary to clarify certain matters.
Standing up for yourself and your rights should never be equated with disrespect of anyone or misconstrued as a provocation. It is, in fact, an utmost expression of respect for one’s rights and dignity, regardless of the consequences.
When the American patriot Patrick Henry declared “give me liberty or give me death”, he was not disrespecting or provoking anyone, but rather insisting on his right to live freely. It was considered an act of heroism, moral courage, and reverence for the liberty due to all humankind. [Read more…]
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