As the Security Council meeting of 18 November concluded, regional delegations, condemning the horrific aggression being wrought upon the Palestinian people by Israel, along with that country’s attacks against Lebanon, urged the 15‑nation organ to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza before famine consumes it and the dangerously escalating violence engulfs the entire Middle East. (For background, please see Press Release SC/15902 .)
Concluding Tuesday’s Council meeting on the crisis in the region, speakers warned that the worsening situation demands immediate action, with the representative of Egypt condemning “the complete destruction of the Gaza Strip”. Rejecting Israel’s attempts to transform that land into “an uninhabitable area, to force the Gazans outside of their own land – the land of their ancestors”, he said it was a “moral and humanitarian duty” to end the conflict. Egypt’s efforts with Qatar and the United States to negotiate for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages have not worked due to the Israeli occupation. The catastrophe is “something that smacks of yesteryear – of times that we thought were in the past”, he said, underscoring that mediation is the only way to a solution. He called on the Council to adopt a resolution to immediately end the shelling in the Gaza Strip and open all crossing points to ensure unhindered aid.
Echoing that call, the Head of the Delegation of the European Union, speaking in its capacity as an observer, urged for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, with a lasting peace based on the two-State solution. He deplored the unacceptable number of civilian casualties, especially women and children, in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the catastrophic levels of hunger and imminent risk of famine caused by the insufficient entry of aid into Gaza. Highlighting that the bloc, along with Belgium, will organize a second follow-up meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, he further stressed the essential role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and condemned further escalation in the West Bank. The European Union is considering further restrictive measures against extremist settlers, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, he reported, recalling the importance of implementing the decisions of international courts.
Underscoring that the Palestinians still enjoy broad support from all those countries believing in international law, Syria’s delegate declared: “All those believing that strength will prevail over rights are wrong.” The crimes of the occupying Power would not have been able to continue without the multifaceted support provided by the United States and a number of its partners. Israel is arrogant and has fanned the flames in Gaza, ensuring that the whole region is on the brink of war. Recalling that Israel has struck Syria, including in residential areas, he urged the Council to prevent further escalation by Israel – which would bring chaos.
Saudi Arabia’s delegate condemned the “total genocide of the Palestinian people”, with more than 150,000 people killed and injured – most of them women and children – as well as the ban on UNRWA activities in the Gaza Strip. Further denouncing all threats against Lebanon’s stability and security and the displacement of its people, he stressed that Israel is pursuing its crimes against innocent people, including violating the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Recalling that his Government chaired the ministerial committee mandated by the Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit, he noted the joint efforts have borne fruit – urging a number of countries that foster peace to support the Palestinian State and consider it qualified to become a fully-fledged member of the United Nations.
Similarly, Qatar’s representative stressed that there must be a two-State solution creating a Palestinian State on the basis of the 1967 borders, with an end to the Israeli aggression against Lebanon. Further, the unprecedented catastrophic situation in Gaza includes violations of holy sites along with the considerable loss of civilian lives. Urging the international community to stop the bloodshed, she called for the exchange of detainees and prisoners. “The State of Qatar has always opted for transparency and credibility in its mediation efforts,” she said. Echoing speakers’ support for the mandate of UNRWA, she also emphasized that the Council must impose an immediate and full ceasefire as well as implement its relevant resolutions.
Meanwhile, Türkiye’s representative noted that the “man-made catastrophe” of Israel’s actions in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon are consequences of prolonged impunity. “This Council cannot stand by as UN personnel are targeted, almost 300 of them killed, and key humanitarian mechanisms are jeopardized,” he stated, echoing the call for a ceasefire, ensuring unhindered humanitarian access and protecting civilians. He also called for implementation of resolution ES-10/24, with a view to ending Israel’s illegal occupation, and for the recognition of Palestine as a sovereign State, particularly by Security Council members, to support the two-State solution. Safeguarding UNRWA “is our shared responsibility until the two-State solution is realized”, he added.
More broadly, the United Arab Emirates’ delegate underlined the urgent need to achieve “a clear vision with lasting solutions to bring an end to the war in Gaza – but also to bring an end to the Israeli-Arab conflict in its entirety”. Stressing that “we cannot remain in the cycle of building and destroying”, he added that recovery will take decades. This is a historic moment to either turn the tragedy into an opportunity for regional peace and prosperity or allow it to further plunge into violence and instability. He further called for a temporary international mission in Gaza and for the revitalization of the Palestinian authority – urging all parties to reject hate speech, any escalation in the West Bank and any increase in the number of settlements there.
Turning to aid, Jordan’s delegate noted that his Government, cooperating with international partners, continues to provide humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Jordan has sent 51,000 tons of aid in 117 convoys, containing more than 4,000 containers, and some $133 million in cooperation with the concerned agencies and partners. Further, it has delivered 53 planes to transport assistance, including 13 from the Jordanian Royal Air Force. Some 40 other States are cooperating, along with international organizations, involving 399 operations in the north and south of Gaza, including aid to hospitals, he reported.
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