Mr. President,
We thank you for convening today’s plenary debate pursuant to resolution 76/262, on the use of veto on 18 April 2024 in the UN Security Council, by one Permanent Member, on the resolution recommending the admission of the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations.
Mr. President,
It has been more than 6 months today, a genocide in Gaza has been going on unabated in broad day light. More than 34,500 people have been killed – 70% whom are women and children. Over 77, 000 thousand civilians have been injured, many missing only to be found out in the mass graves. Though the intensity of the ongoing atrocities is incomparable with any such incidents in the past, the continued and gruesome persecution is nothing new for the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which they have been enduring for the last 75 years resulted from the persistent denial of their statehood and the imposition of the brutal occupation on them. We all are aware, how Gaza has been converted into the largest open prison in the world, and how Palestinian lands in the West Bank have been continuously being encroached by illegal settlements. The two-state solution, recognized by almost all nations as the only viable pathway for the permanent peace in the region, remains elusive for decades due to Israel’s manifested non-compliance.
Therefore, this is imperative today that the international community recognizes the State of Palestine as a full Member State of the United Nations. This would be an important stepping stone towards the realization of the two-state solution and subsequent sustained peace in the Middle East. Indeed today, an overwhelming majority of the UN member states are in favour of the admission of the State of Palestine to the UN as a full member. This is, therefore, a matter of great regret that this has been blocked by veto in the Security Council, with disregard to the will of majority of the nations and global public opinion and the prospect for a peaceful Middle East.
Mr. President,
The carte blanche that has been given to Israel, by blocking efforts in the Security Council to ensure an immediate and lasting ceasefire, has in reality accorded Israel the license to continue its atrocities and occupation. The veto on the full membership of Palestine, would surely further embolden them. Today, despite global outcry and the warning from the UN about catastrophic situation, we are witnessing the stubbornness on Israel’s part, to invade Rafah irrespective of a truce deal. We believe that, though late, there is still scope to rectify past mistakes of supporting the occupying power politically and militarily.
Mr. President,
Bangladesh once again joins vast majority of the nations and peoples of the world, in demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in order to save the lives of the Palestinians which are no less precious than the lives of the people of Israel. The fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international laws must be respected by everyone. Countries with veto power in the UN Security Council needs to ensure that their actions do not obstruct global efforts to combat mass atrocity crimes against civilian populations.
We urge all countries, especially those who champion the protection of civilians to take a stronger and decisive actions against the ongoing atrocity crimes in OPTs.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, we would like to reiterate Bangladesh’s strong support to the admission of the State of Palestine to the UN as a full member. We call upon all member states, specially those who are members of the Security Council, to undertake effective collective measures to this end. Let us all be sincere in our efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East, which must include an independent and sovereign State of Palestine as per the pre-1967 border with East Jerusalem as its Capital. We urge the UN Security Council to take immediate concrete measures, as per the critical mandate bestowed on it to maintain international peace and security, to implement its resolution 2728 without delay in an effort in restoring trust in this critical entity in particular and UN in general.
I thank you Mr. President.
—–