Palestine

Mr. Philemon Yang, President of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Excellencies, Heads and Members of Delegations, Distinguished Guests, Peace be upon you. I come before you today as my people have been, for nearly a year now, and continue to be, subjected to one of the most heinous crimes of our time: a full-scale war crime and genocide perpetrated by Israel, the occupying power. This crime has thus far claimed the lives of over 40,000 martyrs, with thousands more still under the rubble, and over 100,000 wounded. Entire Palestinian families have been wiped from the civil registry. Thousands have lost their lives due to the spread of disease, epidemics, and the lack of medicine. People have been forced to flee their homes repeatedly in search of safety from the systematic killings carried out by the Israeli occupation forces. The aggressive war continues, and every day dozens more are killed, and many more wounded, among our afflicted people in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. I am not here to respond to the lies told by the Israeli Prime Minister in his speech to the U.S. Congress last July, when he claimed his army does not kill innocent civilians in Gaza. I ask you: who, then, killed over 15,000 children, along with women and the elderly among our people—and continues to kill? Answer me! Stop this crime. Stop it now. Stop killing children and women. Stop the genocide. Stop sending weapons to Israel. This madness must not be allowed to continue. The entire world bears responsibility for what is happening to our people in Gaza, as well as in the West Bank, which faces daily aggression, a ferocious and barbaric settlement campaign, and terrorism from settler militias that are supported and protected by the Israeli government and its army—an army that demolishes hundreds of homes on the land of the State of Palestine. Meanwhile, our eternal capital, Jerusalem, is subjected to Judaisation campaigns, assaults on the city and its holy sites, and efforts to alter its historical and legal status. Recently, an extremist Israeli minister called for building a synagogue within Al-Aqsa Mosque. Such reckless incitement must be condemned and halted immediately. This minister and others like him seek to ignite a religious war that will consume everything. Ladies and gentlemen, Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings are exclusively Muslim property. This was affirmed by the League of Nations in 1930. We will never accept anything else—regardless of the circumstances. Excellencies, I have repeatedly stated before your esteemed Assembly that the events of 7 October last year and what followed must not justify the horrors we have witnessed. From the very first day, I called for an immediate ceasefire. I reaffirmed our rejection of targeting civilians—no matter who they are. I called for the release of prisoners and detainees from both sides and urged immediate negotiations to implement the two-state solution based on international legitimacy. Instead of listening to reason, the Israeli government exploited the events to launch a genocidal war on Gaza, committing war crimes recognised as such by the international community. And now, Israel is launching further aggression on our brotherly people in Lebanon. We condemn this aggression and demand it be stopped immediately. Israel has reoccupied the entire Gaza Strip and destroyed it almost completely. It is now unfit for human life. Most homes, buildings, hospitals, schools, economic facilities, roads, churches, mosques, and infrastructure—water, electricity, sewage—have been demolished. If Israel thinks it will escape accountability for these crimes, it is delusional. The international community must immediately impose sanctions. The massacres, crimes, and genocide Israel has committed against our people since its founding must not go unpunished. Justice delayed is not justice denied—no right is ever lost so long as someone demands it. Despite our urgent and repeated appeals, the world has failed to compel rogue state Israel to stop its genocidal war and war crimes against innocent civilians. It pains us that the U.S. administration vetoed three Security Council draft resolutions calling for a ceasefire and further armed Israel with deadly weapons that killed thousands of children, women, and the elderly. This only encouraged Israel to continue its aggression. This is the same United States that stood as the sole member of the Security Council to oppose granting Palestine full UN membership. I do not understand how the U.S. insists on denying our people their legitimate rights to freedom and independence. Ladies and gentlemen, Israel refuses to implement UN resolutions yet remains a member of this international organisation. A state that undermines the very building we stand in does not deserve membership in your organisation. From the beginning, Israel failed to meet the conditions for membership. It had pledged to implement General Assembly Resolutions 181 and 194 as a prerequisite for joining. It made that commitment in writing and did not fulfil it. Therefore, I call upon your esteemed Assembly to freeze Israel's membership in the General Assembly until it fulfils its obligations and implements all UN resolutions. We will formally submit a request to the President of the General Assembly on this matter. Today, I take this opportunity to commend the member states of the UN that supported the resolution presented by the State of Palestine—backed by numerous friendly and fraternal countries—requesting the historic advisory opinion issued on 19 July 2024 by the International Court of Justice. This opinion called for the end of Israel’s illegal occupation of the State of Palestine, dismantling existing settlements, removing settlers, returning confiscated land and resources since 1967, and compensating Palestinians for harm caused by illegal policies and practices of the occupation. The opinion also addressed many other related issues. We place great hope in your resolution, which embodies the will of the international community and the principles of international law. Ladies and gentlemen, I am also deeply grateful to see the growing support among UN member states for recognising the Palestinian right to an independent state and for granting Palestine full membership in this organisation—just like any other people yearning for freedom and peace. On behalf of the Palestinian people, I thank you for your just positions that support truth and justice in achieving peace in our region. I urge you to implement international law according to your respective responsibilities and sovereignty. I also express my gratitude and appreciation to those who have protested around the world against the genocide in Gaza and who have shown solidarity with Palestinian rights—including in the United States and Europe. I salute the brave individuals who come to Palestine, risking their lives. In this context, I pay tribute to the martyred activist, Turkish-American citizen Ayşe Nur, who was cold-bloodedly killed by the occupation forces. To all of you, I say: the Palestinian people will never forget your honourable stances. We will remember you with pride when the occupation ends, and our people achieve freedom and independence. Ladies and gentlemen, Much has been said recently about the "day after" the war in Gaza. I seize this opportunity to present our vision for the immediate and post-war period: 1. A comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to military assaults and settler attacks in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. 2. Immediate, regular, and unconditional entry of humanitarian aid in sufficient quantities to all areas of Gaza. 3. Full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, with rejection of any buffer zones or seizure of land. An end to forced displacement within Gaza or outside it. Return of displaced persons to their homes and provision of shelter. 4. Protection of UNRWA and humanitarian organisations from Israeli interference, and ensuring they receive political and financial support to carry out their duties until the return of refugees. 5. Provision of international protection for Palestinians on the land of their state. 6. The State of Palestine assuming responsibility in Gaza, including operation of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Palestine, as part of an agreed plan. 7. In the framework of comprehensive national reform, we will rebuild the infrastructure and state institutions destroyed by war, revive the economy, promote sustainable development, and reconstruct Gaza—holding the occupying power accountable for this destruction. 8. Extension of the sovereignty of the State of Palestine, its government, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation—the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people—over all Palestinian territories in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, in preparation for general elections. 9. Expedited granting of full UN membership to the State of Palestine. 10. Full implementation of the General Assembly’s resolution on the advisory opinion. 11. Convening an international peace conference under UN auspices to achieve peace and security between the State of Palestine and Israel based on the June 1967 borders. This is our vision for today and for the day after the war on the land of the State of Palestine. I urge you to adopt this plan. Ladies and gentlemen, A few weeks ago, I announced my decision to head to Gaza, along with the Palestinian leadership, to stand with our people who have been devastated by Israel’s genocidal war. I call on you to support this decision by adopting a UN resolution and exerting pressure on the occupying government not to obstruct our efforts. I welcome all those—like yourselves—who wish to join us in going to steadfast, patient Gaza, to witness the crime committed against it and contribute to achieving peace and stability. I salute our heroic people, offering everything they have in steadfastness—especially those in Gaza, our eternal capital Jerusalem, and in the refugee camps and diaspora, as well as our brave prisoners in Israeli jails, who are today enduring flagrant violations of their human dignity. Palestine will be free. Our people will continue to live on their land, struggling for their legitimate independence. The occupation will inevitably come to an end. Glory and eternity to our righteous martyrs. Peace be upon you all.