Statement by His Excellency Dr Ali Naseer Mohamed, Ambassador and Permanent Representative at the 58th Plenary Meeting of the Tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly
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Madam President,
1. I thank you for resuming the Tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly.
2. The recent resolution considered at the Security Council sought to ensure basic humanitarian aid in Gaza. It called for adherence to international law and protecting civilians. Despite fourteen affirmative votes, the resolution failed to pass. For victims in Gaza, this rejection deepens despair.
3. The UN was founded to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” Yet, since 7 October 2023, the Security Council has repeatedly enabled a genocidal war. Thousands have died, and countless more suffer unimaginable hardship.
4. Protecting Palestinians should not be a choice we make—it is a fundamental duty upon us all.
5. Indeed, this year, 2024, will go down in human history as the year of genocide, by Israel against Palestinians. The UN Member States, the civil society, and global institutions have condemned Israel. The ICJ declared Israel’s actions as illegal. And the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister and its former Defense Minister. Yet, Israel, the occupying power in Palestine, continues its violations unchecked.
6. The Maldives welcomes and reaffirms the resolutions of the Extra-ordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in Riad in Saudi Arabia in November 2024, which commended States recognizing the State of Palestine and urged others to follow suit.
7. The Maldives also welcomes the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, effective on 27 November. And calls on Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territories and respect resolution 1701.
8. Cycles of violence under the guise of self-defense must not be tolerated. The UN must reinforce its framework to prevent further bloodshed. Justice must be served, and impunity must end.
9. Israel is continuing with its genocide nevertheless. It is continuing to use the starvation of Palestinian civilians as a weapon of war. And its continuing to deny access to UN and other international humanitarian aid in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
10. Each life lost erodes the credibility of this institution. The Maldives therefore urges decisive action to ensure accountability prevails.
11. The State of Palestine must be granted full UN membership. This is a legal and moral obligation for all States. The Maldives remains steadfast in its support for the Palestinian people. History will honour those who stood firmly with the victims of oppression.
I thank you.
