In the words of the Secretary-General, we have witnessed a “horrific, systematic dehumanization and demonization of an entire people.” Guterres: Palestinians have the right to live on their land International Law
Palestinians have the right to “simply live as human beings on their land,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. Speaking at the opening of the session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the UN chief called on the international community to support the Palestinians in their quest for peace and stability.
In the words of the Secretary-General, “we have witnessed a horrific, systematic dehumanization and demonization of an entire people.”
“Nothing can justify the horrific attacks by Hamas on 7 October. And nothing can justify what we have seen in Gaza in recent months,” Guterres said. He recalled that nearly 50,000 residents of the Strip – 70 per cent of them women and children – had been killed, while much of the civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and water facilities, had been destroyed.
The Secretary-General again welcomed the ceasefire and hostage release agreement, thanking the mediators – Egypt, Qatar and the United States – for their efforts. He stressed the need to continue to push for a permanent ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages. “We cannot go back to death and destruction,” he said.
UN staff, according to Guterres, are working around the clock to deliver aid to Palestinians in need. The UN chief called for unimpeded humanitarian access for them. The international community, the Secretary-General said, should fully finance humanitarian operations in Gaza and support the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The UN chief also stressed the need to prevent “ethnic cleansing in any form.” “In searching for solutions, we must not make the problem worse. “It is essential to remain true to the principles of international law,” Guterres said.
He stressed that “any lasting peace agreement will require tangible, irreversible and sustained progress towards a two-State solution, an end to the occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” of which Gaza will be an integral part.
The Secretary-General expressed concern about the continued deterioration of the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. He noted the increase in violence by Israeli settlers and other violations.
Guterres stressed the need to respect international law and preserve the unity and integrity of the occupied Palestinian territories. The Secretary-General called on the international community to support the Palestinian Authority, noting that “strong and unified Palestinian governance is critical.”