Mr. President,
Let me begin by thanking you, and the other cosponsoring members of the Security Council, for convening today’s open debate. I also thank the Secretary General and the Special Coordinator for their informative briefing.
The latest ongoing outbreak of violence and the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, is grave, disturbing and deeply concerning. We deplore such abhorrent and inhuman acts of aggression and violence against innocent people in this midst of the pandemic and the holy month of Ramadan. The escalating attacks and horrific violence unleashed by the occupying Israeli forces on the innocent devotees and civilians at Al Aqsa mosque in this holy month, as well as the evictions of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, are flagrant violations of international humanitarian norms, human rights laws and other international accords. Such atrocities and bloodshed must stop immediately.
Bangladesh condemns such reprehensible acts by the Israeli forces, and calls for immediate ceasefire and protection of innocent Palestinian population. The Security Council must act now to put an end to such flagrant and repeated violations by the Israeli forces on the innocent Palestinian civilians. Let today’s meeting be one of real action and decisive decisions.
Mr. President,
Allow me to propose the following in this regard:
First: the Security Council must act now to enforce an immediate and complete halt to the brutal attacks against the Palestinians, their homes and territories, and the holy sites. Israel must end its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory, and the Security Council must ensure that. The Council must ensure that Israel respects the sanctity of the holy sites and the historic and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif; and immediately stops all illegal settlement activities and confiscation of private properties in the occupied territories. The international community has to turn around the culture of inaction; and the Council has a particular responsibility to ensure that by fulfilling its Charter obligations, by enforcing all relevant resolutions in this regard, including resolution 2334.
Secondly: the United Nations needs to engage with all relevant actors, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to support the just cause of Palestine and ensure the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination, and a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-State solution, with East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine. The early implementation of the Road Map, Arab Peace Initiative and the efforts of the Quartet are crucial building blocks in this regard.
Finally: ensuring accountability and justice for Israel’s atrocities and human rights violations would serve to end the culture of entrenched impunity. The persistent violations of all international laws by the Israeli occupation forces, and the sufferings of the innocent civilians, including children, in the hands of occupying Israeli forces and their illegal settlers continue with blatant disregard to international laws and principles, creating a sense of perpetual injustice. It is a glaring manifestation of our collective failure to act on the side of the oppressed and for justice. We should not allow ourselves to be swayed and deceived by blatant lies and propaganda by the Israeli regime. Holding the violators accountable would be an important step in finding justice and lasting peace. In this regard, we welcome the developments in the International Criminal Court.
Mr. President,
Let me conclude, by reaffirming Bangladesh’s unequivocal and unwavering support for the establishment of the State of Palestine on the basis of two-state solution with the pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital. We stand resolute in our commitment to support the inalienable rights of the Palestinians for a sovereign and independent homeland in a viable Palestine State, as established through various UN resolutions. We reiterate our steadfast support to finding a lasting solution to the Palestinian issue through peaceful means and dialogue.
On this 75th year of the UN, it bears heavily on our collective conscience for our collective failure to ensure justice for the Palestinian people and their just cause. As the Council meets today, let this not be one of the many meetings of rhetoric, rather of actions. If it is to stay relevant and credible, the Council must fulfill its Charter responsibility, and ensure peace and justice for the Palestinian people and for the Palestinian cause. It must act now, with authority and on the side of the right. I thank you, Mr. President.