You are here: Home / Archives for statement

11 June 2019 – Letter on Jerusalem and Israeli Rep Statements

11 June 2019 by

Excellency,

I write to you regarding recent statements made by the Israeli Representative, in interventions at the Security Council and in an official letter on 6 June 2019, concerning the City of Jerusalem.

These statements are not only provocative and inflammatory, but directly contravene Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, the United Nations Charter and the longstanding international consensus on the question of Jerusalem in specific and question of Palestine as a whole.

With the repeated pronouncement of such statements based solely on religious edicts and distorted narratives, Israel stands in absolute contempt of the Security Council and must be held accountable. Such defiance of the Council’s decisions and authority cannot go unanswered.

We call on Security Council members for immediate redress of this matter. These are not ‘just words’; Israel’s aggressive and shameless assertions of such arguments in the international arena are matched daily by illegal actions on the ground violating the rights of the Palestinian people, entrenching the occupation, and destroying peace prospects. This offensive narrative must be rejected with robust action to protect Palestinian rights, reverse negative trends, and salvage the chances for a just peace.

This requires serious efforts to implement the relevant resolutions, in full and without exception, including accountability for any violations.  Action is equally urgent to restore the Council’s credibility and uphold the integrity of its resolutions. This requires explicit reaffirmation that resolutions are valid until implementation and cannot be negated by such narratives. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Identical Letters, Statements Tagged With: ,

3 June 2019 – Israeli provocations and raids on Al-Haram Al-Sharif

03 June 2019 by

Excellency,

As we somberly approach the 52nd year since Israel’s occupation in June 1967 of Palestinian and Arab lands, we must draw the international community’s urgent attention to the escalating tensions and deteriorating situation on the ground in Occupied Palestine, including East Jerusalem, as a result of intensifying illegal Israeli policies and practices, including rising provocations, incitement and aggression by the Israeli occupying forces and extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians.

In recent days, such provocations have once again involved raids and aggression against holy sites and Palestinian worshippers in Occupied East Jerusalem, in violation of the historic status quo at Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which houses the holy Al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock Mosques. Such actions further inflaming religious sensitivities and dangerous destabilization of an already volatile and fragile situation.

Israel, the occupying Power, must be demanded to cease forthwith all such illegal and destabilizing actions and to respect its legal obligations, in accordance with international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions and to respect the decades-long historic legal and religious status quo at Al-Haram Al-Sharif, including the custodianship of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan over the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

Yesterday, 2 June, witnessed raids by the Israeli occupying forces on the compound, as well as by more than one thousand extremist Israeli settlers, who marched to the compound in an aggressive manner, blatantly inciting against Palestinians, to mark what Israelis call “Jerusalem Day”, which coincides with the anniversary of Israel’s seizure and occupation of East Jerusalem in the June 1967 war. More than 45 Palestinian civilians were injured as the Israeli occupying forces violently assaulted and forcibly dispersed Muslim worshippers, detained several worshippers, and even locked the doors to the mosques preventing the faithful from entering for prayer. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Identical Letters Tagged With: ,

Statement by H.E. Dr. Riyad Mansour, Minister, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, before the United Nations Security Council, Quarterly Open Debate “The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestine Question”, 29 April 2019

29 April 2019 by

Mr. President,

I thank the German and French Presidencies of the Security Council for their skillful joint leadership over these past two months.

I also thank Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, for her briefing and able guidance of the Department. We also recognize the ongoing efforts of UN Special Coordinator Nikolay Mladenov and his team, as well as the vital role and support of UNRWA and the efforts of OCHA, UNICEF, UNDP and all UN Agencies on the ground, at this critical time.

Mr. President,

We meet at a moment of great uncertainty and volatility. The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, is rapidly declining, despair is rising and a peace horizon is being nullified by an occupying Power that insists on imposing its illegal agenda at any cost.

The outlook has become even grimmer after an Israeli election further entrenching the extreme right that has come to rule Israel as a racist, apartheid State under Prime Minister Netanyahu. The absolute support given to Israel by a Permanent Member of this Council has only emboldened its flouting of the law, further fueling its human rights violations against our people and colonization of our land. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Security Council, Statements Tagged With: ,

1 April 2019 – Israeli Crimes against the Palestinian People in Gaza

02 April 2019 by

Excellency,

It is with deep regret that I must write to you again following the tragic loss of life among Palestinians as a result of the indiscriminate, unlawful force that continues to be used by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian civilian population being held captive under its illegal occupation and blockade.

Despite repeated warnings about Israel’s escalating aggression and threats, regrettably no meaningful action has been taken by the international community to avert the loss of life. Despite repeated appeals for protection of the Palestinian people, in accordance with international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, and relevant United Nations resolutions, Palestinian families are again mourning the dead and tending with their meager resources to hundreds more wounded by the Israeli occupying forces, which have once again unleashed lethal force against peaceful civilian demonstrators.

This past weekend, 30 March, marked the one-year anniversary of the Great March of Return, and the 43rd commemoration of Land Day by the Palestinian people. For the 52nd consecutive week, tens of thousands of Palestinians marched along the eastern border of Gaza persisting in their calls for an end to the inhumane Israeli blockade of Gaza, an end to the illegal Israeli occupation and dispossession of our people, realization of the right of the Palestine refugees to return, and freedom for the Palestinian people. Regrettably, their pleas for an end to this cruel injustice have been to no avail. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Identical Letters, Statements Tagged With: ,

25 March 2019 – Palestinian Civilian Casualties

26 March 2019 by

Excellency,

I write to you with urgency, warning of the dangerous escalation of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially at this moment in the besieged Gaza Strip. We appeal to the international community to act with responsibility to de-escalate the situation and to ensure the protection of innocent civilian lives. The Security Council in particular is duty-bound to act to avert another deadly cycle of violence and maintain international peace and security.

As I write to you, 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip – children, women and men – are once again enduring the terror of Israeli airstrikes and bombings, bracing themselves for the destruction and grief that will surely follow for our civilians who have nowhere to shelter from such aggression and cruel collective punishment of the entire population. Over the past few hours, hundreds of missiles have been fired from Israeli warplanes at areas throughout the densely-populated Gaza Strip and Israeli tanks and soldiers are amassing at the borders of cause, causing fear and panic to spread among the population of yet another war.

The intensification of inflammatory rhetoric and threats by Israel, the occupying Power, should be cause for extreme worry for the international community, which has too many times stood by and witnessed the slaughter of innocent, defenseless Palestinian civilians. We urge that the early warnings be heeded and that action be undertaken, including immediate mediation efforts, with a view to preventing such brutality and devastation once again. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Identical Letters Tagged With: ,

12 March 2019 – Escalation in Occupied East Jerusalem

12 March 2019 by

Excellency,

I write to draw the international community’s urgent attention to destabilizing developments in Occupied East Jerusalem. Acts of aggression and incitement against both civilian worshippers and holy sites continue to be perpetrated by Israel, the occupying Power, in a reckless manner.

Amidst already-heightened tensions, such illegal and provocative actions threaten to spiral out of control with dangerous consequences. Immediate efforts are required to de-escalate the situation in order to protect civilian lives and the sanctity of holy sites in Occupied East Jerusalem, including Al-Haram Al-Sharif, which houses the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock.

Israel’s decision today to seal all gates to the compound, as well as to the entirety of the Old City of Jerusalem itself, has seriously inflamed tensions that have already been exacerbated by the occupying Power’s earlier attempts to force the closure of the Bab al-Rahma gate and prayer area, which had been recently reopened by the Waqf. Prior to sealing off Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound, Israeli occupying forces attacked Palestinian worshippers, including men and women who had been praying inside the Dome of the Rock, and also assaulted several Waqf personnel, before forcibly removing all worshippers from the compound. The Palestine Red Crescent has reported that at least four civilians have been taken to the hospital due to injuries sustained. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Identical Letters Tagged With: , ,

Statement by H.E. Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, at the United Nations Security Council, Open Debate on The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestine Question, 18 October 2018

18 October 2018 by

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…]

Filed Under: Statements Tagged With: ,

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, 24 July 2018

24 July 2018 by

Mr. President,

On behalf of the State of Palestine, I wish to congratulate the Russian Federation on their successful presidency of the Council and express appreciation to Sweden for their able leadership of the Council’s important agenda for this month. We also thank Special Coordinator and Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, for his briefing and efforts.

Mr. President,

During this month, the United States of America and the Republic of France proudly celebrated the anniversaries of their independence. The US declaration of independence states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. The French declaration of human and citizen rights states that all men are born and remain free and equal in rights.

These truths and rights are universal and inalienable and must be recognized for every nation in the world with no exception. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Statements Tagged With: ,

Statement by H.E. Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, United Nations Security Council, The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestine Question, Vote on Draft Resolution on Protection of Palestinian Civilians, 1 June 2018

01 June 2018 by

Mr. President,

We congratulate the Russian Federation on its Presidency of the Security Council and express our sincere thanks for your ready response to the request to convene today’s meeting.

We also wish to recognize Poland for its skilled leadership of the Security Council last month, including the meetings held to address the Palestine question and the important debates on international law and the protection of civilians, so relevant to the grave crises we face at this moment. We will never forget their gesture of asking for a moment of silence to honor the innocent Palestinians killed by Israeli forces.

Mr. President,

We express our deep appreciation to the fraternal country of Kuwait for its tabling of the draft resolution just voted upon by the Security Council and for the Kuwaiti delegation’s tireless efforts to ensure the Council’s serious consideration of our repeated calls for international protection for the Palestinian people. We commend them for the comprehensive and transparent process undertaken to advance this issue, along with other Council members. We regret, however, the extreme mal-intent by one Council member aimed at undermining this process and undermining the Council’s credibility and authority.

We are grateful to all of the countries that voted in favor of the draft resolution, despite the veto cast today by the United States that has regrettably prevented adoption of the draft and despite the tensions and confusion caused. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Statements Tagged With: ,

Statement by H.E. Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, United Nations Security Council Emergency Meeting on the Palestine Question, 15 May 2018

15 May 2018 by

At the outset, I thank Poland, in its capacity as President of the Security Council, for convening this emergency meeting. We also express gratitude for the sympathy and condolences expressed by all members of the Security Council, including during the minute of silence honoring our martyrs.

We thank Council members for having understood the urgency to address the grave, deteriorating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular in the Gaza Strip, due to the heinous, deliberate crimes committed by Israel against unarmed Palestinian civilians. In addition, we thank the fraternal State of Kuwait for its efforts as the only Arab member of the Security Council. We also thank Mr. Nickolay Mladenov for his briefing.

We are meeting today at a tragic and painful moment for the Palestinian people, with great sorrow and bitterness. We convey our sincerest condolences to the families of the martyrs, may they rest in peace. We wish a speedy recovery to all those who have been wounded as a result of the brutal Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people, who expressed their resistance in the besieged Gaza Strip on the first evening of the sacred month of Ramadan. We condemn in the strongest terms the odious massacre committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip. We call for an immediate halt to the military aggression against our people and for a transparent, independent and internationally led investigation. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Statements Tagged With: ,