UN holds special meeting for Palestinian solidarity day
The meeting recalled a 1947 UN resolution that envisioned two states coexisting peacefully.
Committee Chair Coly Seck lamented that 78 years later, the goal has produced neither “peace nor security.” He emphasized that Palestinians continue to endure “historic injustice” and underscored the UN’s “outstanding responsibility” to resolve the issue of Palestine fairly. Seck called on the international community to take concrete steps to recognize Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock highlighted that the resolution laid the groundwork for a two-state solution. She noted that while Israel is recognized as a UN member, Palestine is not, asserting that statehood “is a right to be upheld.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, via a message delivered by Chef de Cabinet Earle Courtenay Rattray, acknowledged the “unspeakable hardship” faced by Palestinians in the West Bank, including escalating settler violence, and praised mediation efforts led by Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the US, which helped secure a recent ceasefire.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in a message read by Palestine’s permanent UN representative Riyad Mansour, reaffirmed that the Gaza Strip remains an integral part of Palestine. He expressed gratitude to countries such as France, the UK, and Australia for recognizing Palestine in recent months, and commended mediation efforts that led to the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, noted that Israel’s “isolation became glaring,” prompting the formation of an international coalition to pursue the two-state solution. The African Union welcomed the ceasefire as a step toward alleviating civilian suffering but stressed that it must be followed by a “credible and irreversible political process” to achieve lasting peace.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation called for a donors’ conference in Cairo to support Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction. Meanwhile, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries stressed that Palestinians must be protected until Israel’s “unlawful occupation is brought to an end.”
The Chair of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices reported that the committee continues to witness violations undermining fundamental rights, highlighting the “catastrophic” conditions in Gaza and “unprecedented levels of settler violence” in the occupied West Bank. Journalist Shrouq al-Aila added that even with a ceasefire, “the war of navigating life among the destruction” has only just begun.
Security Council President Michael Imran Kanu was unable to deliver the customary statement due to a lack of consensus — a first during the annual special meeting, according to Seck.
Since October 2023, reports indicate that Israeli military operations in Gaza have killed nearly 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 170,900, leaving much of the enclave in ruins. A ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10 included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and envisioned rebuilding Gaza with a new governing framework excluding Hamas. However, Israeli attacks have reportedly continued, with at least 342 Palestinians killed and 900 injured since the ceasefire began.
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