Special Coordinator, Stressing ‘All Sides Must Urgently Change Course’, Appeals to Security Council for Support of Gaza’s Political Future
Briefing the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question, the Special Coordinator for that region’s peace process urged Member States to support Gaza’s political future, work with the new technocratic Palestinian Government and develop a framework of its recovery, as many speakers, condemning the recent strike on Rafah, renewed calls for a ceasefire to enable humanitarian aid deliveries to the Palestinian people.
Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process reported that since the 7 October attacks, more than 36,000 Palestinians and over 1,500 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed. “It is clear that all sides must urgently change course,” he stressed, noting that no attempt to address the humanitarian and security challenges will be sustainable without consideration of Gaza’s political future. Emphasizing the need for Gaza’s recovery framework, he said that Member States should provide support and work with the new technocratic Palestinian Government under Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.
Noting that political, institutional and economic reforms will be needed, he underscored that they must be achievable, credible and financed. Donors and investors will not be forthcoming without concrete steps to ensure that “Gaza is not rebuilt only to be destroyed yet again”, he told the 15-nation organ, stressing that if Member States neglect to lay down the foundations of a lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution and end the occupation, the price of failure will reverberate for generations. Without progress on addressing the drivers of the conflict, “we will begin the process of undermining what we have not yet even started,” he stated.
In the ensuing discussion, many speakers condemned Israel’s recent attack on the displaced persons’ camp in Rafah, also voicing their opposition to its ongoing military operation in that city and calling for an immediate ceasefire to enable humanitarian aid deliveries. Some also added their support for the provisional orders of the International Court of Justice, while others aligned themselves with the draft resolution to stop the Israeli military operation on Rafah, prepared by Algeria.
Among those speakers was the representative of China, who called on Council members to put aside “political calculations” and save lives by supporting the adoption of the Algerian draft text. Noting that his delegation will soon propose a more effective international peace conference for the establishment of a two-State solution roadmap, he spotlighted the upcoming tenth Ministerial Conference of China-Arab States Cooperation on 30 May.
Similarly, France’s delegate noted that his country will propose a draft resolution relating to a two-State solution and peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians. He highlighted the indignation of his country’s president, Emmanuel Macron, following the recent Israeli strikes that resulted in many civilian casualties, underscoring that in line with the International Court of Justice’s provisional orders, Israel must immediately cease its military offensive.
The representative of Mozambique, Council President for May, spoke in his national capacity to note that despite the “chorus of international warnings” about the potential for mass casualties, the military offensive in Rafah has proceeded. Observing that the resulting global outrage and condemnation from world leaders further enhances Israel’s international isolation, he called for a “global concerted action” to end this military operation.
“We should not expect the Israeli military machine to stop its actions anytime soon,” the Russian Federation’s delegate noted, spotlighting the unprecedented number of victims since the Second World War. Stressing that the Council must continue to put pressure on Israel and its ally, the United States, she pointed out that the worsening situation is caused by Washington, D.C.’s attempt to monopolize the UN’s mediation function to “solve all global problems alone”.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine recalled that Israel’s Prime Minister repeatedly used the phrase “Israel from the river to the sea” and held a map to that effect on the General Assembly podium, “disappearing Palestine altogether”. Stressing that Israel wants “occupation and violent oppression for Palestinians and peace and security for itself”, he observed that that country can “kill any Palestinian and call them either terrorist or human shield to justify their murder”.
Echoing this sentiment, the representative of the United Arab Emirates, speaking for the Arab Group, said that ending this war, which has been described by the United Nations as a “war against children”, has become an urgent demand. Observing that Israel has “persistently and deliberately crossed all red lines”, he also noted that — for the third time — it ignored the orders of the International Court of Justice.
However, Israel’s delegate stressed that its war is only with Hamas, not the people of Gaza. While there are currently four terror battalions in Rafah, the precise strike was conducted on Sunday, eliminating two senior Hamas terror officials, he said, calling the charges brought before the International Court of Justice in the case of South Africa v. Israel “false”. Israel is fighting a defensive war on behalf of its hostages but also for all of civilization, he stated, adding: “Stop taking the side of terrorism.”
However, the South Africa’s representative said the Court’s orders make it clear that there is a severe risk of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Therefore, State parties must act immediately to prevent genocide by Israel and ensure that they are not themselves in violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crimes of Genocide by aiding or assisting in the commission of genocide. Requesting the Security Council to give effect to the Court’s judgements, she observed: “For international law to be credible, it should be uniformly applied and not selective.”
THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, INCLUDING THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION
Briefing
TOR WENNESLAND, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said that in seven months since the 7 October attacks, more than 36,000 Palestinians and over 1,500 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed. As well, 126 hostages are still held in Gaza. Nearly 2 million Palestinians have been displaced, many of them multiple times, he reported, adding that 100,000 Israelis have also been displaced from their communities in the north and the south. “Agreement on a deal to achieve ceasefire and secure release of hostages is blocked,” he reported, recalling the “appalling incident” on Sunday, in Rafah, that killed 45 Palestinians and injured 200. Noting that the West Bank remains a “pressure-cooker of negative trends”, he pointed to the risk of regional conflagrations. “This trajectory must change if we are to avoid further catastrophe,” he emphasized.
Highlighting acute shortages of food, water and medicine, he said that the humanitarian response is woefully inadequate. Humanitarians are continuing to deliver assistance in a difficult environment, but unsafe conditions are compounded by overcrowding, desperation and a breakdown of law and order. Just hours ago, this breakdown resulted in the looting of the log base of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Rafah. In regard to the West Bank, he expressed concern over Israel’s lifting of the military order banning Israelis from entering three evacuated settlements in the northern part — a policy in affect since the 2005 disengagement law. Also pointing to the regional escalations across the Blue Line between Israel and Hizbullah and other non-State armed groups, he said that on the Golan, Israel’s strikes against targets in Syria and Iran have also continued. “This is a combustible mix”, he stressed.
“It is clear that all sides must urgently change course,” he continued, noting that no attempt to address the humanitarian and security challenges will be sustainable without consideration of Gaza’s political future. To this end, “we should be putting in place the framework for Gaza’s recovery” he said, adding: “There can be no long-term solution in Gaza that is not fundamentally political.” Recalling his recent meeting in Brussels, that included the International Partners Meeting on Palestine, he emphasized that Security Council members must strengthen and preserve the Palestinian Authority’s institutions “before it is too late”. The new technocratic Palestinian Government under Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, with eight ministers from Gaza, represents an important opportunity to support tangible steps in the right direction. Therefore, Member States should provide support and work with the new Government to address the Palestinian Authority’s dire fiscal crisis and strengthen its governance capacity to, ultimately, govern the whole of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Noting that political, institutional and economic reforms will be needed, he said they must be achievable, credible and financed. Conforming to the Interim Damage Assessment — conducted by the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Union — the cost of critical infrastructure damage was quantified at $18.5 billion. However, donors and investors will not be forthcoming without concrete steps by the parties to find a political solution and ensure that “Gaza is not rebuilt only to be destroyed yet again”. If Member States neglect to lay down the foundations of a lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and end the occupation, the price of failure will reverberate for generations, he said, adding that these foundations should be also laid in the West Bank. Without progress on addressing the drivers of the conflict — violence, settlement advancements and militant activity — “we will begin the process of undermining what we have not yet even started”, he stressed.
Statements
The representative of the United States said: “We are heartbroken and horrified by the deaths of dozens of Palestinian civilians and the more than 200 individuals who are seriously injured, including children, following Israeli airstrike on 26 May.” Palestinians affected by the airstrikes have been displaced multiple times, seeking shelter in the camps. Israel claims that the civilian deaths were a mistake, and the strike was aimed at two senior Hamas terrorists who also died, he observed, urging Israel to do more to protect innocent Palestinian lives and to undertake a swift, transparent and comprehensive investigation. While Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas, it also has the obligation to protect civilians, he stressed. It must also connect its military operations to a political strategy that can ensure the lasting defeat of Hamas, the release of all hostages and a better future for the Palestinian people.
However, he stressed that “the continued pattern of significant civilian harm” resulting from incidents like the 26 May airstrikes undermines Israel’s strategic role in Gaza. Echoing the order of the International Court of Justice, he underscored that Israel must avoid a major military operation in the heart of Rafah that would put “a huge number of civilians at risk”. Further, he called on Israel to remove all obstacles to the flow of aid through all crossings in Gaza, noting that the closure of the Rafah border crossing has impacted the humanitarian and security situation in the Strip.
The representative of Sierra Leone said the recent recognition of the State of Palestine by some European Union members “will not only contribute to global efforts towards lasting peace between Israel and Palestine, but could also facilitate economic and infrastructural support and development in post-conflict Palestine.” Rafah City — the “last refuge” for 1.4 million displaced Palestinians — has become an active war zone, he said, adding that reports of an exchange of gunfire between Israeli and Egyptian soldiers at the Rafah crossing resulting in the death of at least one Egyptian soldier are very concerning. Deeply concerned about the attack on a displaced persons’ camp in Rafah, he called on all parties to the conflict to respect civilian life and international humanitarian law. “The conflict in the Gaza Strip has long-standing, complex roots, but it is not an intractable situation,” he stressed, calling on the Council to remain united in calling for lasting ceasefire, and for all parties to the conflict to respect the International Criminal Court provisional orders.
The representative of Switzerland condemned the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Hamas against Israel on 26 May. She also condemned the Israeli strike, which caused dozens of civilian casualties, including many children, in a camp for displaced persons in Rafah on the same Sunday evening. “Civilians in Gaza are living in unacceptable conditions, unprotected by repeated displacement, starvation and incessant hostilities,” she said, opposing the current military operation in Rafah and calling for an immediate ceasefire. Israel has the obligation to protect civilians and allow and facilitate the safe, rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians through all crossing points and to the whole of the Strip, as required by the International Court of Justice. Further, she condemned the violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers — including against UNRWA offices in East Jerusalem and humanitarian aid convoys in the West Bank.
The representative of Malta said that an intensification of Israeli military operations in Rafah and a return to fierce fighting in north Gaza, coupled with evacuation orders imposed on desperate civilians, highlights the severely compromised security and humanitarian crisis. On Sunday, more civilians lost their lives and were harmed following an Israeli airstrike on a refugee camp in Rafah. The constant bombardment of hospitals — combined with aid restrictions — has led to the collapse of the health-care system, putting the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians at risk. “This is also putting mothers and their newborns at risk of significant physical and mental harm,” she observed, noting that over 155,000 pregnant and lactating women are unable to access essential services. Additionally, she spotlighted the staggering reports that an estimated 17,000 children are currently unaccompanied or separated from their families. Against this backdrop, she called for the Rafah crossing to be reopened and a massive upscale of aid to the civilian population.
The representative of France said his country “calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and reiterates its opposition to the military operation in Rafah,” highlighting the indignation of his country’s president, Emmanuel Macron following the recent Israeli strikes that resulted in many civilian casualties. In line with the International Court of Justice’s provisional orders, Israel must immediately cease its military offensive, he underlined, adding that France supports the Court’s authority. He called for the release of all hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza and voiced regret over the recently announced death of one of three French hostages. Strongly condemning Hamas’ recent rocket attacks on Tel Aviv and the Kerem Shalom crossing, as well as Israeli settler attacks on humanitarian convoys, he called full respect of international human rights law. Only a two-State solution will bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians, he stressed. France will propose a resolution to that end and calls for the Council’s support.
The representative of the Russian Federation, noting that 36,500 Palestinian civilians have died since 7 October, said it is an unprecedented number of victims since the Second World War. She observed that a majority of Member States have condemned Israel’s actions in Rafah. “We should not expect the Israeli military machine to stop its actions anytime soon,” she said, also noting that the negotiations process is stalled. She reported that since October 2023, the Russian Federation’s emergency services aircraft has delivered 500 tons of humanitarian cargo to Egypt, while non-governmental organizations have collected more than 100 tons of medications and basic supplies. Stressing that the Council must continue to put pressure on Israel and the United States — which allocated $24.6 billion in military aid to Israel — she said that the worsening situation is caused by Washington, D.C.’s attempt to monopolize the UN’s mediation function to “solve all global problems alone”.
The representative of Japan noted that the international community must uphold its strong condemnation of Hamas’ actions on 7 October while recognizing the ongoing horrors in Gaza, where there are no safe places for civilians, aid workers or journalists. Voicing concern that Israel has begun military operations in Rafah, he recalled that the recent provisional measures by the International Court of Justice are binding. Voicing further deep concern over the Israeli Defense Forces’ air strike in Rafah resulting in many civilian deaths, he called for an immediate ceasefire so that unhindered humanitarian activity is ensured, and the hostages released. Japan supports negotiations led by Egypt, Qatar and the United States in that regard, he emphasized. Moreover, his Government unequivocally condemns the arson attack on UNRWA headquarters, he said, stressing that international organizations must be allowed to execute their missions safely.
The representative of Slovenia recalled resolution 2728 (2024), which demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and the ensuring of humanitarian access. Further, the International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah. Yet, though Security Council resolutions and International Court of Justice decisions are binding, the operation continues, and the international community has witnessed “heart-breaking” footage of it. Condemning this week’s strike on a supposed safe zone in Rafah, she also stated how appalled her Government is regarding the humanitarian conditions for the internally displaced in Gaza. Voicing further concern over growing struggles in the West Bank and the legislation in the Knesset on UNRWA, she emphasized: “International law is not a menu to choose from.” The Council must step up to its responsibilities instead of “merely observing grave violations.” It must act with a clear resolution, she emphasized.
The representative of Ecuador, voicing concern over the bombings that seriously affected the civilian population in Rafah, declared: “It is time to stop the cycle of violence and suffering.” Recalling the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice, he stressed that hostilities must cease immediately so that humanitarian aid can reach all those in need in a safe, sufficient and timely manner. Noting that the rules of international humanitarian law are mandatory for all parties and that their violation entails serious responsibilities, he urged for the corresponding investigations to ensure accountability. Further, negotiations between the parties must be resumed to allow for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages, he said, voicing support for the mediation efforts carried out by Egypt, Qatar and the United States.
The representative of Guyana, expressing “helplessness” at the disregard for the rule of law and impunity, said the Palestinian people’s desire for their homeland has been “perhaps, one of the greatest tragedies of modern times”. Even greater a tragedy has been that the United Nations has not yet been able to bring this injustice to an end. Turning to Rafah, she stressed: “We must not continue to accept the all too familiar explanations of these incidents being mistakes or miscalculations.” She underlined the importance of a ceasefire to improve the security situation for humanitarian aid deliveries, also urging Israel to open all land routes. She also demanded serious long-term efforts towards achieving the two-State solution.
The representative of China expressed concern that allowing the fighting in Gaza to continue will plunge the region into turmoil. While the Council and the International Court of Justice have issued resolutions and orders to Israel stop its operations, that country has bombed more than a dozen camps in Gaza. His country will support Algeria’s draft resolution circulated yesterday, he said, calling on Council members to put aside “political calculations” and save lives by supporting its adoption. He also condemned the politicization of humanitarian aid and the use of hunger as a “bargaining chip”, noting that Israel must allow unhindered humanitarian aid to circulate in Gaza. Soon, China will propose a more effective international peace conference for the establishment of a roadmap two-State solution to realize the dream of self-determination for the Palestinian people, he announced. Meanwhile, the tenth Ministerial Conference of China-Arab States Cooperation will be held tomorrow, where China will continue talks with leaders in view to end the conflict in Gaza as soon as possible.
The representative of the Republic of Korea, noting that the situation in Gaza is more alarming than before, said that innocent civilians are dying from a lack of aid as “relevant countries are finger-pointing at each other” regarding the inadequacy of movement both at the Rafah and Karem Shalom crossings. While the maritime corridor has been providing a semblance of hope, he expressed regret that it did not achieve its goal due to the inability of distributing aid inside Gaza and its further damage by bad weather. “The maritime corridor is no substitute to land crossings,” he stressed, urging Israel to open all available crossings and take measures against looting and divergence. Also expressing concern over the situation in the West Bank, he voiced hope that the diplomatic efforts by the United States, Qatar and Egypt can lead to fruitful outcomes. “There is no time to waste,” he underscored.
The representative of the United Kingdom said that his country is appalled by “the deeply distressing scenes emerging from Rafah” and called on Israel to launch a swift, comprehensive and transparent investigation. “We do not support a major military operation in Rafah without an acceptable plan to protect the hundreds of thousands of civilians who remain there,” he asserted, adding that hundreds of thousands have already been displaced from Rafah, many for the second time, to locations without suitable provisions of shelter, food, water and access to medical treatment. Noting London’s commitment to “flood Gaza with aid”, he said that this includes increasing the daily number of aid trucks entering Gaza to 500, opening the Ashdod Port to humanitarian aid and additional crossing points for aid in North Gaza. “The humanitarian situation is now catastrophic,” he said, calling on Israel to allow aid in quantity through all crossing points, including Rafah. He stated that “all of this could stop now if Hamas laid down their arms.”
The representative of Algeria said addressing the crisis in Gaza without tackling the root cause — the occupation of Palestinian land — will not lead to lasting peace. The Security Council bears primary responsibility in this regard and must fully implement all relevant resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016) which states that settlements are illegal and a violation of international law. Meanwhile 800,000 settlers now live in the West Bank, terrorizing Palestinians, destroying their structures and “judaizing” Al-Quds and its holy sites. Algeria will submit a draft solution urging the Council to shoulder its responsibilities, he said, calling for its support. “Waiting for the occupying Power to voluntarily abide by international law and Security Council resolutions is pointless,” he added, noting that after repeated attacks on UNRWA and a failed attempt to discredit the agency, the occupying Power is considering declaring it a terrorist organization, thus removing it from the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Warning against this move, he called on the Council to protect the Agency and for the Organization to support the Palestinians’ rights to an independent State with Al-Quds Sharif as its capital.
The representative of Mozambique, Council President for May, speaking in his national capacity, said that Israel’s military offensive against Gaza and Rafah is at the origin of the human tragedy in the Gaza Strip. Despite the “chorus of international warnings” about the potential for mass casualties, the military offensive has proceeded, he noted, pointing to the 26 May strike on the area where displaced civilians had sought shelter. “The resulting global outrage and condemnation from world leaders, further enhances Israel’s international isolation,” he stressed, calling for a “global concerted action” to end this military operation. Underscoring the binding nature of Security Council resolutions 2712 (2023), 2720 (2023) and 2728 (2024), compounded by the orders of the International Court of Justice, he said they form a solid basis for collective action. He also expressed condemnation of the crimes discovered in the mass graves of Nasser and Al Shifa hospitals, underscoring: “We need to ensure accountability.”
The Deputy Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine reported that “there is barely anything left in Gaza; Israel has destroyed everything.” Yet, despite the International Court of Justice’s orders, Israel has “made sure” that famine is setting in, he said, adding that that country wants Palestinians to know that if they remain in Gaza, their fate is going to be “displacement and death”. Further, Israeli investigators and courts are designed to perpetuate and enable the occupation, not achieve accountability. “Israel can kill any Palestinian and call them either terrorist or human shield to justify their murder,” he said, adding: “You have learned to live with Israel’s irrational and racist behaviour. But we die because of it.” For seven decades Israel has held Palestinians in captivity, one generation after another, also using them as human shields during its military incursions.
He went on to report that Israel has detained the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians it has killed, sometimes for over three decades. Recalling that Israel’s Prime Minister repeatedly used the phrase “Israel from the river to the sea” and held a map to that effect on the General Assembly podium, “disappearing Palestine altogether”, he stressed: “It [Israel] wants occupation and violent oppression for Palestinians and peace and security for itself.” Calling it “logical” that Israel’s Government would interpret the recognition of the State of Palestine by Spain, Ireland and Norway as an “attack against Israel”, he observed: “Never mind the fact that these countries have recognized Israel decades ago without asking for anyone’s approval. That was not unilateral then but recognizing Palestine is.”
Israel has been dehumanizing Palestine for so long that it does not understand how anyone can “decide to recognize our existence as a people, our rights as a nation, and our State,” he pointed out. Emphasizing that Israel trusts that it can get away with its crimes, he observed that has been possible because it has had 75 years of experiencing full-fledged impunity. “Tomorrow’s freedom and peace will be made possible by the decisions you take today,” he stressed, urging the Member States to allow his delegation to tell the Palestinian people that help is on the way and that the solidarity they see in every corner of the globe will translate into resolute action to stop this genocide, achieve freedom and advance peace. “There is no objective more worthy. There is no time more pressing. There is no greater responsibility,” he declared.
The representative of Israel said that the Council has convened again to discuss the “just and moral war Israel is fighting against the bloodthirsty and genocidal terror organization of Hamas.” However, the 15-nation organ still refuses to recognize that the blame lies with the terrorists. The war began with Hamas’ attacks on 7 October and continues because they still hold 125 hostages in Gaza while firing rockets on Israel’s territory — even from within designated humanitarian zones in the south of Gaza. The war would end if Hamas were to release the hostages and lay down their arms, but they refuse, he stated.
Meanwhile the Council chooses to convene weekly to hold his country accountable for a war it did not want, he continued, adding that Israel has no choice but to root out terrorists in the south of Gaza and bring the hostages home. There are four terror battalions in Rafah currently, which is why the precise strike was conducted on Sunday, eliminating two senior Hamas terror officials. Israel’s war is only with Hamas, not the people of Gaza. The strike took place nearly two kilometres from the designated humanitarian zone and preliminary findings from investigations show that fire broke out from secondary explosions from munitions stored near the camps. “Where are the condemnations for Hamas using Gazans as human shields and civilian sites as weapons depots?” he asked, adding that that group must be held accountable and the Council must not be influenced by falsehoods which paint Israel as the “root of all evil”.
He went on to say that South Africa failed once again to exploit the International Court of Justice, adding that the charges levelled against his country are false. Israel is fighting a defensive and just war in compliance with international law and is committed to facilitate the entry of aid into Gaza. The Council must uphold its mandate and cease to embolden those that want Israel’s destruction. Demonizing one side is not conducive to a solution, but rather emboldens Palestinians to believe that solutions can achieved without negotiations nor concessions. Israel is fighting on behalf of its hostages but also for all of civilization, he said, adding: “Stop taking the side of terrorism.”
The representative of South Africa said that the majority of the UN members and thousands of people worldwide have been demanding a ceasefire for months. However, the Council’s response to this call has not been entirely forthcoming, and the legally binding resolution calling for a short-lived ceasefire during Ramadan ignored. Noting her country’s obligation as a State party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crimes of Genocide, South Africa approached the International Court of Justice seeking an order to prevent Israel from committing genocide against the Palestinian people. Following Rafah, South Africa returned to the Court seeking additional provisional measures. The Court’s orders make it clear that there is a severe risk of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Third States must, therefore, act independently and immediately to prevent genocide by Israel and ensure that they are not themselves in violation of the Genocide Convention by aiding or assisting in the commission of genocide.
“This necessarily imposes an obligation on all States to cease funding and facilitating Israel’s military actions, which are plausibly genocidal,” she asserted. However, she expressed regret that since the provisional measures were issued by the Court — including in its latest decision on 10 May, where it ordered Israel to halt any other actions in Rafah that may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part, Palestinians continue to suffer immeasurably under the occupying Power’s intensified military operations. Requesting the Security Council to give effect to the Court’s judgements in the case of South Africa v. Israel, she emphasized that the international community cannot proclaim the importance of international law and the importance of the Charter of the United Nations in some situations and not in others as if the rule of law only applies to a select few. “For international law to be credible, it should be uniformly applied and not selective,” she said.
The representative of the United Arab Emirates, speaking for the Arab Group, said that Israel’s “heinous massacre” against civilians in Rafah on Sunday and the Al-Mawasi massacre on 28 May are the latest episodes in the series of systematic war crimes. Noting that this came after more than 900,000 Palestinians were displaced, he stressed that there is no longer a safe or liveable place in Gaza. “Israel has persistently and deliberately crossed all red lines,” he observed, noting that it has — for the third time — ignored the International Court of Justice’s orders. He, therefore, called on the Council to engage in negotiations related to the draft resolution put forward by Algeria that aims to stop the Israeli military attack on Rafah and demands an immediate ceasefire. “Ending this war, which has been described by the United Nations as war against children, has become an urgent demand,” he underscored.
Stressing that Israel, like any other State, is required to respect its obligations under international legal frameworks, he said that this must also include the West Bank. Highlighting the ongoing raids by Israeli extremists against the Al-Aqsa Mosque, he observed that it constitutes a violation of the historic and legal status of Jerusalem. “The oppression imposed on the Palestinians has no limits,” he noted, urging the Council to ensure the entry of humanitarian aid. Further, the dangerous juncture in the history of this conflict makes it imperative for the Council to take all efforts to save the two-State solution, end the occupation and stop the violence. “Achieving just and lasting peace also requires strong support for the full membership of the State of Palestine in the United Nations,” he added.