Non-Aligned Movement Holds Special Meeting on Palestine

The Palestine Committee of Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement organized a side-bar meeting at the United Nations in New York on September 26 to discuss Palestine. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the recent developments in Palestine and the resistance in Gaza and the West Bank once again show that the idea of destruction of the Palestinian resistance movement and Hamas, as a liberation movement formed against the occupation, was nothing but an illusion.

"Over the past year, the apartheid regime of Israel has committed numerous crimes in the Gaza Strip and other Palestinian territories, in addition to its long-term illegal occupation, genocidal policies and practices, brutal attacks and violence against Palestinian civilians, including women and children," Araghchi said.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a constant and sincere supporter of the Palestinian cause and a responsible actor for ensuring regional and international peace and security, calls on the Palestine Committee of the Non-Aligned Movement to send a strong message in support of the legitimate struggle of this nation for freedom and independence, he said. He added that this Committee is expected to come up with substantial recommendations and measures as the result of this meeting, including:

i) Calling for an immediate, comprehensive, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as ending all atrocities and aggressive measures against Palestinians and other nations in the region;

ii) Urging the immediate and complete lifting of the inhumane 17-year-old blockade of Gaza;

iii) Requesting the release of all Palestinian prisoners and detainees;

iv) Obliging the Israeli regime to conduct an immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal from Gaza and securing the safe, unhindered and dignified return of all displaced Palestinians;

v) Imposing immediate arms and trade sanctions against the Israeli regime in order to oblige the Occupying Power to fully stop its invasion of Gaza and implement its international and legal obligations including those under international humanitarian and human rights law;

vi) Supporting the implementation of provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice in the case brought by South Africa under the Genocide Convention, as well as prosecution and punishment of all Israeli officials involved in genocide and crimes against humanity.

Ambassador Araghchi concluded by saying: "Peace and security in the region will not be achieved unless the occupation is ended and the Palestinian inalienable rights including their right to self-determination are recognized and implemented."

Statement by Republic of Cuba's Minister of Foreign Affairs

Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said the following on September 26, at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Committee on Palestine meeting at the UN:

We appreciate the timely convening of this ministerial meeting of our Movement.

We reiterate our unshakable solidarity with the brotherly people of Palestine in their continued struggle to exercise their inalienable rights against the Israeli occupation of their territory and the aggression in Gaza.

NAM should continue to demand a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the creation of two States that would allow the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and have a free and sovereign State within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital and the return of the refugees and displaced persons.

The current escalation of genocide and violence against Palestine is a consequence of more than seven decades of permanent violation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the aggressive and expansionist policy of Israel.

What is happening in the occupied Palestinian territories is a disgrace to humanity and should cease immediately.

We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the murder of civilians, particularly women, children and humanitarian workers of the United Nations system; the indiscriminate bombings against the people of Gaza and the destruction of houses, hospitals and civil infrastructure, as well as the cutting off of services such as water, food, electricity and fuel to the Palestinian population.

We reiterate our call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories to put an end to the aggression that is being committed by Israel with absolute impunity and the complicity of the government of the United States.

Israel violates each and every one of the UN resolutions and each and every one of its obligations as the occupying power by virtue of the Fourth Geneva Convention, for it feels fully confident that the paralysis of the Security Council on this issue will guarantee that it will continue to avoid its responsibilities.

The Security Council should live up to its mandate and put an end to the impunity of Israel, the occupying power, of which the United States has been historically an accomplice and major provider of weapons. We reaffirm our invariable support to a prompt incorporation of the State of Palestine as a full-fledged member of the United Nations and condemn the use of the veto power by the United States, which has repeatedly obstructed the actions of that UN body and prevented the realization of this just aspiration of the Palestinian people, thus undermining peace, security and stability in the Middle East.

Cuba will contribute as much as possible to all international legitimate efforts aimed at halting this genocide.

In this regard, our country decided to intervene as a third State in the process initiated by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice in relation to the violations of Israel's obligations by virtue of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Every minute of impunity, passiveness and silence will cost more innocent lives. The international community must act now.

(Cuban Foreign Ministry)



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September 29, 2024

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