Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, Excellencies, Distinguished Colleagues,
For over seven decades, we have discussed the ‘Question of Palestine’ at this General Assembly. Year after year, the halls of this august body have heard the same speeches. Held the same debates. Passed resolutions.
And for over seven decades, our collective will and resolve to address this issue has failed. Very little has changed on the ground. Generations of Palestinians have lived, and continue to live, under occupation and oppression.
And in the past few weeks, the situation has worsened. Palestinians have been waking up to the sound of bombs—thanking the Almighty for making it to another day. They are being attacked in their homes—and even on the grounds of the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. Families are being forced to leave their homes. Innocent people, innocent children, are dying. Buildings are crumbling under rocket fire. And all of this, during the holy month of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr. Usually, a time for celebration, family, and kindness.
This has reached a predictable certainty. Yet, this is the lived reality of the Palestinian people. This is life under occupation.
Mr. President,
The Maldivian Government and people are gravely concerned, over the escalating violence against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. We strongly condemn Israel’s violent aggression, and the excessive and indiscriminate use of force. Especially on civilians, and civilian infrastructure. We believe that further deterioration of the situation will have serious, and far-reaching, security implications in the region.
Mr. President,
The COVID-19 pandemic may have normalized the term ‘isolation’ globally. But for almost 15 years, over 2 million people in Gaza have been forcibly isolated from the rest of the world. At just 41 kilometers long and 12 kilometers wide, it remains the world’s largest open-air prison. There is no safe place in Gaza.
The indiscriminate bombings have killed hundreds. Displaced tens of thousands. Obliterated key infrastructure. Including the only COVID-19 testing facility in Gaza. Without an immediate ceasefire, all that will remain is rubble.
The violence has further victimized the most vulnerable—women and children. Children, which we, in this Hall, every year, commit to protect. The ongoing conflict has taken the lives of far too many Palestinian children. Over the past week alone, over 60 innocent children have been killed and many more injured. Many are forced into arbitrary detention. Many are harmed, inflicted with life-long trauma.
The international community has a duty to protect them. We cannot leave them behind. Our commitment to “Every right, for every child” must also include Palestinian children.
Mr. President, Excellencies,
The international community, cannot, and must not, ignore the plight of the Palestinian people. Their suffering, the injustice, and inequality they face must not be discounted. We must stand with them in solidarity. We must rally for their protection.
This is why supporting the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East is paramount. The deteriorating situation warrants more support. Millions of Palestinian people depend on UNRWA’s support. For shelter, for food, for education, and for healthcare. We join calls for unhindered humanitarian access to the people of Gaza. Essential humanitarian supplies, food, fuel, and medical supplies, including supplied to counter the spread of COVID-19, must be allowed. This is urgent.
Mr. President,
The Maldives firmly believes that an internationally accepted solution is the only viable and long-term solution to find lasting peace in the region. We stand with our sisters and brothers in Palestine in securing their inalienable rights. We call for a sovereign and independent State of Palestine, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Mr. President,
The Palestinian people deserve a life of peace, prosperity, and dignity. The Palestinian people deserve peace. So does the entire region. We must work towards long-lasting solutions to long-standing conflicts.
But long-lasting solutions can only be possible with the cessation of violence. That is the first step. We therefore join the global call for an immediate ceasefire, and for much-needed humanitarian access.
Peace can only be possible with undeterred will, and commitment. It is possible through dialogue and negotiation—through respect for human dignity and international law. This is the only way forward—the only way to ensure lasting peace, for this long-standing conflict, for the region, and for the Palestinian people.
I thank you.