Statement by H.E. 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, 29 April 2014, New York:

Madame President,

At the outset, I congratulate Nigeria on its Presidency of the Security Council under your wise and able leadership. We also express appreciation for Luxembourg’s skilled leadership of the Council in March.

I thank Mr. Robert Serry, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, for his briefing to the Council.

Madame President,

Since the Security Council’s last debate on this issue, there have been many developments on the ground and in the political process.  In official letters, we have alerted the Council to the rising tensions and the situation’s deterioration due to Israel’s persistent violations and intransigence in negotiations. We appealed to the Council and the international community to uphold their responsibilities, stressing the criticalness of the hour to salvage the two-State solution on the basis of the pre-1967 borders and the longstanding parameters enshrined in the relevant United Nations resolutions, Madrid Principles, Arab Peace Initiative and Quartet Roadmap. [Read more…]

Statement by Ambassador Dr. Riyad Mansour, before the United Nations Security Council, Meeting on the Israeli Military Aggression against the Gaza Strip

Check against Delivery

 

Mr. President,

For the second time in the course of a week, I come before the Security Council, upon the instructions of the Palestinian leadership under President Mahmoud Abbas, to appeal once again for the Council to uphold its Charter duties for the maintenance of international peace and security and to act forthwith for the protection of civilian lives, which are being lost and destroyed with each passing minute of the brutal Israeli military aggression being waged against the Gaza Strip. I speak on behalf of a gravely suffering people – the Palestinian people – who are enduring yet another barrage of death, destruction, trauma and terror at the hands of the Israeli occupying forces.  [Read more…]