Second Committee, 17th plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session

Good morning, colleagues, distinguished delegates. I call to order the 17th meeting of the Second Committee. I invite the Committee to begin its consideration of agenda item 58, entitled "Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab populations in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources. The documentation under the agenda item is listed in today's journal and on eGov, and we will now proceed with introduction of the report. I invite Mr. Youssef Shaithan, Chief of the Economic Affairs Section in the Governance and Prevention Cluster of the Economic and Social Commission of Western Asia, to introduce via video link the report of the Secretary-General on economic and social repercussions of Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian territory in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and on the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, as contained in document A/81/111. I recall that the announced time limit for one introduction is four minutes, and I now give the floor to Mr. Shaitan.

Introduce the note of the Secretary-General on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, prepared pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2025/33 and General Assembly resolution 80/158. The report covers the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. Allow me first to thank our United Nations colleagues for their important contribution to the preparation of this report. Distinguished delegates, The ceasefire that took effect on 10 October 2025 remained fragile, but continued to hold. Israeli military operations, however, have continued. More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed. In the Gaza Strip, 77 years of human development have been reversed. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, settler violence reached its highest levels since 2006, averaging more than five incidents daily. Detention practices remained a serious concern. As of March 2026, over 9,500 Palestinians, including women and children, were reportedly in Israeli prisons, many without charge or trial. Distinguished delegates, in Gaza, homes and civilian infrastructure have been destroyed on a devastating scale. Nearly 1.9 million people, or 90% of the population, have been repeatedly displaced, many more than 10 times. They depend almost entirely on humanitarian assistance. In the West Bank, nearly 34,000 Palestinian refugees have been forcibly displaced, the largest displacement since 1967. Israeli settlement activity continued at a high rate across the West Bank. Plans were advanced or approved for some 10,000 housing units in East Jerusalem and more than 26,000 in Area C. Movement restrictions compound these hardships. As of December 2025, 925 movement obstacles were recorded across the West Bank. This is the highest number in two decades. Distinguished delegates, the constraints on the Palestinian economy are rooted in nearly six decades of occupation. In Gaza, they are compounded by 19 years of blockade. Gaza's GDP fell by 84% in 2025. Annual GDP per capita dropped to approximately $161, less than $0.50 a day. In 2025, unemployment in the occupied Palestinian territory reached 46%, 28% in the West Bank, and 78% in Gaza. Distinguished delegates, the report also addresses the occupied Syrian Golan settlements activity continued in violation of international law. Around 31,000 Israeli settlers live across some 35 settlements. The situation also deteriorated in around the area of separation, where Israeli forces have remained present in several locations since December 2024. Reported impacts on civilians include curfews, movement restrictions, property damage, displacement, and reduced access to livelihoods. Distinguished delegates, in conclusion, the Secretary-General calls for urgent and sustained action to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. Humanitarian aid must flow safely, rapidly, and unimpeded at scale and reach all those in need. Humanitarian aid is not negotiable. He calls for an end to occupation, underscoring that a lasting and comprehensive peace can only be achieved through a negotiated two-state solution. He reemphasizes the commitment of the United Nations to supporting Palestinians and Israelis in ending the occupation and resolving the conflict. These efforts must be guided by international law, United Nations resolutions, and other relevant agreements in pursuit of the vision of two states. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank Mr. Shaitom for the presentation of the report and his statement. Now, in accordance with the practice of the committees, I would like to invite delegates, if they have any comment or question in relation with the report and the presentation we have just heard. If this is not the case, then I thank again Mr. Shaitan for the presentation of the report, and we continue with Israel last. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Israel.

Thank you, Chair. I didn't know we have a chance to ask the Secretary questions, but it was an interesting statement, so I'll ask. Anyways, we already made our statement on this report during the EcoSoc session. I think it was in the summer. So I'll ask, you said it was decades that destroyed, sorry, it was a few decades of development that were destroyed. But you never said why, what happened that led to this destruction, what changed, what happened maybe three years ago. This is something that obviously is missing in your report. Hamas is never mentioned. SQUA is really a disgrace for this organization.

I would like to invite Mr. Shaitan if he has any comment or reply to this intervention.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The focus of this report is the socioeconomic impact, and hence the focus is only on this in the report.

Thank you. Any further comment or question? Okay, if there is none, so we thank Mr. Shaitan and leave him to continue with his occupations of the day while we turn to our general discussion on the agenda item 58. Before we proceed, as usual practice, I would like to remind delegations on the time they have at their disposal, which is five minutes for those that are speaking on behalf of a group and three minutes for those that are presenting their national intervention. The list of speakers has been prepared on this basis, so we intend to strictly observe these time limits, and if it's necessary, also through a microphone cutoff. As every day, you have a time management, a countdown clock that we project in the screen, and you can follow your time limits through that screen. With that, I would like now to invite the first speaker on the list. I invite the distinguished representative of State of Palestine to take the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The State of Palestine aligns with the statements to be delivered on behalf of the G77.

And China and the Arab Group. Year after year, the Committee reaffirms the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people over their natural resources. Yet each successive report documents an increasingly grave reality marked by the unprecedented scale and severity of Israeli crimes and violations, including the systematic exploitation and destruction of Palestine's natural resources, all with impunity. In Gaza, the devastation extends far beyond buildings and infrastructure. The report highlights the irreversible damage inflicted on the natural resources base required for Gaza's survival and recovery. The soil is poisoned, natural resources are ravaged, and the environment is contaminated on an unprecedented scale. Nearly all homes have been destroyed, while only 3% of agricultural land remains undamaged. This is not just the destruction of what exists today, but the destruction of the natural foundations upon which generations of Palestinians depend to build their future tomorrow. Madam Chair, the report also underscores the compounded impact of the Israeli colonial occupation and illegal settlements, which undermine Palestinian livelihoods and inflict grave environmental harm. Israeli companies extract construction materials from Palestinian quarries, exploit minerals from the Dead Sea for use in cosmetics internationally, profit from vineyards and groves belonging to Palestinian farmers, and divert water resources to illegal settlements and even beyond the occupied West Bank. The State of Palestine reiterates its call upon all states to take concrete measures to prohibit the import of products originating from illegal Israeli settlements and to refrain from any dealings with them in full compliance with international law and relevant UN resolutions. Madam Chair, like all states, Palestine seeks to harness its natural resources for the benefit of its people and build a future of self-sufficiency. But this can never be realized as long as Israel's impunity persists. As affirmed in the 2030 agenda, this requires the full realization of the right to self-determination of peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation through justice, through accountability, and an end to the occupation. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the State of Palestine, and I now give the floor The distinguished representative of Uruguay on behalf of Group of 77 and China. Ambassador, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the G77 and China. The group would like to express its appreciation to OSWA for preparing the SG's report as well as for their comprehensive presentation today. Madam Chair, The group welcomes the SG report which underscores that the protracted Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territory and the Syrian Golan continues to profoundly impact all aspects of life and development for both populations. It indicates that the ongoing Israeli grave violations of international, humanitarian and human rights law, including inter alia, The severe destruction of homes and vital civilian infrastructure, the forcible and repeated displacement, and the unparalleled scale of devastation in Gaza, along with severe restrictions on movement and access, the exploitation of natural resources, the expansion of illegal settlements, and the escalation of settler violence have exacerbated the already fragile living conditions and threatened their collapse. Such illegal policies and restrictive measures by Israel are strangling Palestine's economy and severely undermining the social and economic development across occupied Palestine, especially in Gaza, where almost the entire population has been dispossessed and impoverished. The group is thus deeply concerned about the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as a result of Israel's military assaults and blockade particularly during the past three years, and is equally alarmed by the vast destruction of agricultural lands in Gaza and nearly all food production capacities. As highlighted in the report, Israeli military assaults have inflicted severe and potentially irreversible damage to the natural resource base upon which the Palestinian population depends. Gaza is the most shocking example of Israel's massive violation of the right of the Palestinian people to sovereignty over their natural resources, which the occupation continues to exploit throughout the entirety of the occupied Palestine, including East Jerusalem, in breach of international law, the relevant UN resolutions, and the ICJ advisory opinion that has determined Israel's presence to be unlawful and that it must be brought to a rapid end. The group underscores the urgent need for an immediate end to Israel's violations and for protection of the Palestinian civilian population in accordance with international humanitarian law, while ensuring the recovery and well-being through immediate unhindered humanitarian access, including through UNRWA. This necessitates the rapid delivery of assistance at scale, including inter alia, the provision of food and water to address malnutrition and food insecurity, medical supplies and expertise, fuel, shelters and school facilities to enable the resumption of education. The Group stresses the importance of strengthening UNRWA and urges states to continue extending political support for the renewal of its mandate and its vital humanitarian development work. This requires immediate efforts to mobilize sufficient financial support to ensure the continuity of its services, which remain a critical lifeline for Palestinian refugees, particularly in Gaza, in the midst of humanitarian catastrophe. In closing, we call for decisive and concrete measures to end the illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, in accordance with international law and the relevant UN resolutions, including Resolution 2334 and ES 10/24. Such steps are urgently needed to end Israel's ongoing crimes and violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, and that undermine the two-state solution, the only viable path to justice and lasting peace for the region. The group recalls, in this regard, the convening of the high-level international conference for the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution and the adoption of the New York Declaration, and calls for its full implementation to be realized in Palestinian self-determination and independence of their state where they can fully exercise all of their rights including to sovereignty over their natural resources and development and determine their own.

I thank the distinguished representative of Uruguay and now I invite to take the floor the distinguished representative of Bahrain on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am honored to deliver the statement on behalf of the Arab states, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Madam Chair, the SG report has condemned the continued expansion in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including the continued growth of settlement centers. The report affirms the importance of protecting Palestinian rights in occupied territory and condemned the continued demolitions and movement restrictions and limited access to natural resources as well as basic services, and has condemned the negative implications of these practices on the socioeconomic conditions and the deprivation inflicted upon the Palestinian people and their inability to access their natural resources and the resulting deterioration in living conditions. And in this context, our group affirms that the continued Israeli practices undermine international law, and it obstructs the right to self-determination and the right to achieve their full aspirations as Palestinian people. We condemn the continued violations in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the continued settlement expansion and the attempts to impose a new reality including the settlement, the planned E1 settlement, which undermine peace efforts, including those by the Board of Peace. These practices are a violation of international law, as per Security Council Resolution 2334 and as per the advisory opinion of the ICJ. on Israel's commitment to an immediate cessation of new settlement activity and to evacuate all settlers from occupied Palestinian territory, and calling on Israel to end the occupation immediately. And as for Gaza, we call for an immediate lifting of the assault against the population in Gaza and providing immediate and unhindered humanitarian access. and providing international protection to the Palestinian people. The group also affirms the need to fulfill commitments as per the New York Declaration, as well as GA resolution ES-10/24. And we welcome the efforts aimed at tangible measures to end the settlement activity, including efforts to and trade with illegal settlements. Madam Chair, the GCC states reiterate that the Syrian Golan is occupied Arab territory, and we condemn the expansion of settlements and the exploitation of natural resources and the damage inflicted on the agricultural land in the Golan. Large plots of land have been assaulted and taken away from their rightful owners. In conclusion, The GCC states reaffirmed that peace and sustainable development in the Middle East is contingent upon respect for international law and an end to the occupation and respect for state sovereignty and people's rights to self-determination and to sovereignty over their natural resources. The Palestinian people must be allowed to exercise their right to self-determination on an independent state on the borders of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital as per the Arab Peace Initiative and as per UN resolutions. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Bahrain and invite to take the floor the distinguished representative of Libya on behalf of the Arab Group.

Thank you, Madam Chair. At the outset, I am honored to deliver this statement on behalf of the Arab Group, and I would like to thank you and thank the members of the Bureau for your efforts, and I would like to thank the Secretary-General for the report. Madam Chair, the report highlights the humanitarian conditions in occupied Palestine, including East Jerusalem, and especially in Gaza, which has witnessed a serious deterioration in light of the continuing Israeli practices and the continued genocide against the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza. The assault that continued for three years has led to very serious implications and almost a famine, and all basic services have ceased, and leading to an unprecedented catastrophe and a collapse in services and a threat to the lives of the civilians in violation of international law. And This has also extended to the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where the citizens and the population there face discrimination and demolition of homes and movement restrictions because of metal checkpoints and gates that interrupt the daily life of Palestinians. The Palestinians also suffer economic marginalization and restricted access to all vital services. And among the serious, such as the settlement plans for the E1 settlement, Madam Chair, the Arab Group condemns the continued exploitation of the Israeli occupation of all natural resources, and it continues to destroy agricultural land, and it controls the natural resources and illegally exploits them. And we condemn the settlement plans in the Syrian Golan and the five-year plan for the occupation that aims to transform the occupied Syrian territory to Israeli city. We call for protection of the Syrian farmers and condemn the very serious damage as a result of the Israeli practices. Madam Chair, while the group welcomes the measures taken by some states to reject the violations of the Israeli occupation, we continue to call on the international community to uphold their responsibility and take practical, tangible measures in line with the UN Charter and international law and the UN resolutions, including Resolution 2334 of the Security Council and as well as Resolution ES-10/24. And we also emphasized the need to hold Israel accountable for its crimes, and we emphasized the need for a continued ceasefire in Gaza and its full implementation as per Security Council 2303 in order to begin reconstruction and accelerate recovery in Gaza and address the famine faced in Gaza and to resume all efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state. In conclusion, the Arab Group reaffirms that it has time to end the Israeli occupation and take concrete measures in order to achieve the two-state solution as a viable and realistic path to a just and lasting peace in the region and to end the siege and end the ethnic cleansing. This is an urgent priority and a moral and legal duty upon the international community. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Libya and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malaysia.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Malaysia aligns itself with the statement by Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China. Madam Chair, Malaysia remains steadfast in supporting the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination. This includes their rights to an independent and sovereign state of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. In this regard, allow me to make three points. First, a just and lasting solution must be grounded in international law and the UN Charter. As emphasized by Malaysia's foreign minister during the general debate last month, international law must apply equally to all without double standards. In this regard, Malaysia supports the ICJ advisory opinion of July 2024, which clearly stated that Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful. Second, we must safeguard the economic viability of a Palestinian state. Statehood can only be meaningful if the Palestinian people can exercise sovereignty over their territory and natural resources. However, the continued Israeli occupation has severely undermined Palestinian livelihoods, Restrictions on access to agricultural land, water resources and fishing areas have weakened productive capacities and worsened economic constraints. The Palestinian people must be able to utilize their own resources to build a viable and sustainable economy. Third, international support must go beyond immediate humanitarian assistance. It must also strengthen Palestinian institutions and development capacities to support long-term recovery. In this regard, Malaysia has provided targeted training and technical assistance to Palestinian officials and institutions through the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme, particularly in areas such as governance, public administration, education and economic development. Malaysia remains committed to supporting Palestinian recovery and reconstruction, which are essential for sustainable development. Madam Chair, in closing, Malaysia commends the countries that have recognized the State of Palestine. We will continue to advocate for Palestine's full membership of the UN and work with all partners towards a just and lasting peace grounded in international law. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Malaysia and give the floor now to the distinguished representative of Indonesia.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Indonesia aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China. Madam Chair, permanent sovereignty over natural resources is not a mere principle, but a matter of fundamental dignity and survival. It is also a fundamental component of self-determination. The ICJ, on its advisory opinion of 19 July 2024, has concluded that Israel's exploitation of natural resources in the OPT was inconsistent with its obligation under international law. For decades, Palestinians have been systematically deprived of their land, water, and right to self-determination. This profound violation of international law represents an unfulfilled promise that the international community has a moral and historical obligation to resolve. Against this grim backdrop, Indonesia stresses three urgent priorities. First, the immediate cessation of the destruction of Palestinian natural resources. We express our utmost concern over continued violence affecting vital water infrastructure in the West Bank and the extensive destruction of Gaza's agricultural land. Halting this environmental degradation is an absolute prerequisite for any future Palestinian recovery. Second, fortifying humanitarian lifelines essential for Palestinian survival. As food security crisis and malnutrition reach catastrophic levels, the international community must step up. Indonesia continues to translate political solidarity into concrete action. We have significantly increased our annual UNRWA contribution to $1.2 million and financially supported the WFP in delivering lifesaving assistance to over 700,000 food insecure individuals across Gaza. Third, safeguarding the two-state solution through true economic viability. Political commitment to the two-state solution must be inextricably linked to Palestinian economic sovereignty. Central to this is ensuring Gaza's early recovery and reconstruction. As our Foreign Minister emphasized in September, recovery efforts must be Palestinian-led and Palestinian-owned. Therefore, we call for the immediate lifting of all restrictions on the movement of people and goods to reintegrate the Palestinian economy into global markets. Furthermore, we must actively support Palestinian institutional capacity for effective resource management and fiscal autonomy. Sovereignty over natural resources is the indispensable economic bedrock of a viable, independent State of Palestine. Madam Chair, Indonesia will never waver in its steadfast support for the Palestinian people until they achieve full independence, a sovereign, contiguous, and economically viable State of Palestine, free to govern its own land, resources and destiny. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Indonesia and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malta.

Chair, as the fragile ceasefire in Gaza struggles to hold, Malta reaffirms the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people and of the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources. In its 2024 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice recalled that an occupying power is merely the administrator and usufructuary of the natural resources of occupied territory. It further found that the exploitation of those resources for the benefit of the occupying power's own population, including settlers, is inconsistent with the Palestinian people's right to permanent sovereignty. The same principles are relevant for the occupied Syrian Golan. The damage to the Gaza's natural resource base since October 2023 is catastrophic. Only 3% of its cropland remains both accessible and undamaged. Desalination capacity has collapsed as untreated wastewater flows into the coastal aquifer and the sea. As an island state that relies on desalination for water security, Malta emphasizes that water is a precondition for survival and development. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Palestinian land continues to be lost to settlement expansion, including in the E1 area, to record levels of settler violence, and to measures extending Israeli civil authority over occupied territory. Attacks are striking directly at Palestinian livelihoods and food security. All measures that alter the territory's character and demographic composition must be reversed. These resources belong to the Palestinian people and may not be exploited, depleted, or endangered by or for anyone else. Sovereignty over resources also means control over revenues. The continued withholding of Palestinian clearance revenues is threatening the Palestinian Authority's ability to deliver basic services and must end. The same holds for the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Golan, where land and water continue to be exploited for settlement agriculture and energy projects. Malta calls for respect for the 1974 disengagement agreement and for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Chair, recovery in Gaza must restore Palestinian access to land, sea, and water, and it must be Palestinian-led. A viable Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace and security requires full sovereignty over its natural resources. Malta remains committed to the two-state solution, as stated in the nuclear declaration, and to all efforts towards that end. I thank you.

And the distinguished representative of Malta. I give now the floor to the distinguished representative of Yemen.

I thank you, Madam Chair. My delegation associates itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Arab Group and that delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. I would like to add the following in our national capacity. The Republic of Yemen reiterates its steadfast support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state that is sovereign and viable and on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international justice resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. My country emphasizes that the permanent sovereignty over natural resources is an inherent right and integral part of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and sustainable development. The continued Israeli occupation, settlement activity, land confiscation, and control over natural resources, including water, land, and energy, all of this deprives the Palestinian people of the right to manage and benefit from their resources. It undermines their ability to achieve economic, social, and environmental development and obstructs the implementation of the sustainable development goals in the occupied Palestinian territories. Here, Yemen renews its strongest condemnation of the Israeli crimes and violations against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. This includes genocide, systemic starvation, forced displacement, and the widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure, and civilian facilities, as well as the severe damage inflicted on agricultural lands, water resources, and natural resources. Yemen also condemns the continued obstruction of humanitarian assistance, which results in worsening humanitarian suffering and undermining recovery efforts. Yemen affirms that these practices require accountability in accordance with international law. Madam Chair, the Republic of Yemen reaffirms the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources. We call upon the international community to compel Israel, the occupying power, to cease exploiting, damaging, depleting, or endangering these resources, and to ensure the right of their owners to compensation and redress. We stress that the Golan is occupied Syrian territory and that all Israeli measures aimed at annexing it or altering its legal status or nature or demographic composition, all of these actions are null and void and with no legal effect. We call to an end to the Israeli occupation of the occupied Syrian Golan and for the withdrawal from all of the occupied Syrian territories. In conclusion, the Republic of Yemen emphasizes that achieving a just and lasting peace in the region requires ending the Israeli occupation and allowing the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and establish their independent and sovereign state on the borders of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. We call for guaranteeing territorial integrity and unity and integrity and ending the Israeli occupation of the occupied Syrian Golan. We call upon for support for the Palestinian and Syrian peoples over their national resources and to support recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip, thereby enhancing prospects for stability in the region. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Yemen and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Maldives.

Thank you, Chair. It has been over 20 years since a resolution was first tabled under this agenda item, and yet the suffering of the people of Palestine has not ceased. In fact, according to the Secretary-General's report, in the past two and a half years, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed, a vast majority of them women and children. Human development in the Gaza Strip has been set back by over seven decades. In Syria, systemic barriers affect access to employment, land mobility, and public services, with disproportionate impacts on women and youth. Settlements continue to exploit the territory's natural resources and undermine local livelihoods. The Maldives reaffirms its unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination. The Maldives also condemns Israel's illegal acts in the occupied territories, which hinder peace and stability. The Maldives wishes to highlight three points. First, the ceasefire must stand. No development is possible while guns are firing and bombs are falling. The Moldis calls for full implementation of the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict in line with the Security Council Resolution 2803. Attacks on civilian infrastructure, especially healthcare facilities, aid infrastructure, and schools, must cease immediately. Second, humanitarian assistance must have unimpeded access. Reconstruction in Gaza and in the occupied Palestinian territories cannot begin while access for humanitarian assistance remains blocked. The physical, administrative and bureaucratic obstacles must be removed. Third, an independent and sovereign state of Palestine must be established and the occupation of the Syrian Golan must end. The 2030 agenda cannot be achieved until the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in occupied Syrian Golan achieve permanent sovereignty over their natural resources. The Maldives urges steps towards a lasting solution, recognizing the State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Palestine must have full UN membership. The Maldives also calls for the immediate and urgent withdrawal of Israel from all of the occupied Syrian Golan to the lines of 4 June 1967. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Maldives and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Brazil reaffirms its longstanding support for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.

To self-determination, including permanent sovereignty over their natural resource.

This is not only a matter of economic development. It is a fundamental principle of international law, inseparable from the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force. The SG report documents the devastating humanitarian, social.

Economic, and environmental consequences of the prolonged Israeli occupation of the OPT, including East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan.

Its finding reinforced Brazil's longstanding positions on the need for full respect for international law, the protection of civilians, and the humanitarian assistance. In its advisory opinion of July 2024, the ICJ.

And reaffirmed that Israel's exploitation of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territory violates its obligation under international law.

It is also inconsistent with its obligation to respect the Palestinian people's right to permanent sovereignty over natural resources.

Brazil remains deeply concerned about the continued expansion of illegal settlements, the confiscation of Palestinian land, and restrictions on access to land, water, and other natural resources. The destruction of agricultural land, sanitation systems, and energy infrastructure has had devastating consequences for civilian livelihoods and the environment.

Reconstruction must be accompanied by the restoration of Palestinian control over natural resources and the removal of obstacles to.

Sustainable development.

The Palestinian people must be able to determine their own economic future.

Brazil also reaffirms Syria's sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan and the right of its.

Population to permanent sovereignty over their natural resources in accordance with international law and the relevant UN resolutions.

Madam Chair, the protection of natural resources cannot be separated from the broader objective of ending the occupation and.

Achieving a just and lasting peace.

We reiterate our support for a two-state solution with an independent, viable, and sovereign state of Palestine, living side by side with Israel within internationally recognized borders of pre-1967, including East Jerusalem and its capital. We support the objectives of the resolution, and we call for the full respect for international law, including the obligations identified by the ICJ.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Brazil and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of South Africa.

Thanks, Madam Chair. South Africa aligns with the statement of the G77 and China, and we would like to add the following in our national capacity. There remains a strong expectation and necessity for the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and in the occupied Syrian Golan, to improve, considering the significant attention this matter has received for decades. In the West Bank, state-sanctioned settlement expansion, settler violence, displacement of Palestinians, and annexation of land continue unabated despite growing global pressure on the state of Israel. The report of ESPO on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation is grim, dire, and in some cases, quite severe regression in the living conditions of Palestinians. Madam Chair, it is South Africa's conviction that the state of Israel's flagrant violations of international and humanitarian law and intentional actions in Gaza constitute genocide. continued illegal presence of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory as confirmed by the 2024 ICJ advisory opinion only feathers the erosion of the prospect of a two-state solution and Palestinian self-determination to this end South Africa remains steadfast in its view that the International Community must act decisively to end this impunity in its support for a just and lasting peace In accordance with UN resolution, South Africa will continue to champion the establishment of an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable, and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. To restore the prospects of the self-determination of the people of Palestine, South Africa calls for the following. One, an end to the genocide. Two, unfettered unfettered access of humanitarian and aid and construction in Gaza; three, full respect for international law, including UN resolutions and opinions and decisions of the ICJ; four, removal of obstacles to the self-determination of the Palestinian people, including illegal settlements and the separation wall; five, global recognition of Palestine and its sovereignty and territorial integrity; and six, full admission of Palestine as a UN member state. In conclusion, Madam Chair, South Africa will remain steadfast in its solidarity with the Palestinian people, who continue to endure a profound existential threat in clear view of the global public. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of South Africa and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.

Thank you, Chair. China aligns itself with the statement made by Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China. The question of Palestine is at the heart of the Middle East issue. At high-level meetings this year, including the General Debate, Member States have broadly called for a ceasefire over conflict, dialogue over hatred, and a two-state solution over occupation and annexation.

Palestine is the homeland.

Of all Palestinians, who have the right to statehood, peaceful development, and effective control over all Palestinian territory, including its natural resources. The Palestinian people continue to suffer, awaiting long overdue redress for historical injustices. In particular, Israel's accelerating settlement expansion has displaced large numbers of Palestinians, deprived them of livelihood, and even destroyed families, severely constricting their living space, undermining the territorial basis for statehood, and seriously violating their sovereignty over their land and resources. The fundamental solution to the question of Palestine lies in a political solution based on the two-state solution. the resumption of peace talks, the early establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and peaceful coexistence between Arabs and Jews.

The international community should uphold international rule of law, support.

The Palestinian people's just cause in defending their legitimate rights and interests, safeguard their right to development and sovereignty over natural resources, and oppose any unilateral action that undermine the two-state solution. We call on all parties concerned, particularly Israel, to faithfully and fully honor their ceasefire obligations. immediately cease all military operations in Gaza, halt and reverse settlement policies, stop seizing Palestinian homes and encroachment on Palestinian territory, and take concrete measures to curb settler violence. The Golan Heights are internationally recognized as Syrian territory. China has consistently supported the Syrian people in safeguarding Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Syria's efforts to restore its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, including its natural resources, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. Thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of China, and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia.

In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful Madam chair the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its delegation I would like to associate itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the g77 and China and on behalf of the GCC and we make the statement in our National capacity. The Palestinian cause is one of the fundamental causes of the Arab and Muslim worlds, and it is at the top of our priorities in our foreign policy, based on our firm commitment to supporting the Palestinian people in regaining legitimate rights and the rights and achieving their national aspirations. Saudi Arabia confirms its continued efforts to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines. with East Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with the international Jerusalem resolutions and the Arab peace initiative, and in a manner that would contribute to the establishment of a just and permanent peace and establishing stability in the region. Achieving sustainable development in the Palestinian territories and occupied Syrian Golan is closely tied to establishing peace, security, and justice, and ending occupation. This also includes guaranteeing the Palestinian people's legitimate rights and the rights of the residents of the occupied Syrian Golan, including the right to return to their land and to exercise their sovereignty over their natural resources in accordance with international resolutions, especially GA Resolution number 187/77 and other relevant international resolution. My country will continue supporting the Palestinian people through humanitarian aid development projects and we will contribute to alleviating the suffering of the residents of Gaza we welcome GA resolution issued on the 10 May 2024 on on the fact that Palestine qualifies for permanent membership in the UN. We also support the ICJ advisory opinion on the legal effects of Israeli practices in the occupied Palestinian territory. And within the framework of our peacemaking efforts, we have established the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution to support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and to meet the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The report before us sheds light on the economic, social, and livelihood impact of the Israeli occupation on the Palestinian people and the residents of the occupied Golan. We stress the need to respect international and domestic resolutions and their implementation, including GA resolution 75236, which calls Israel to stop using the natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories and the occupied Syrian Golan. In closing, Madam Chair, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia confirms that the continued occupation and the perpetration of violations against the Palestinian people requires urgent and firm international action that takes tangible measures and puts an end to the war in Gaza, ends the siege, and that stands up to the systemic targeting of civilian and their livelihoods. We call for the end of occupation and the embodiment of the two-state solution through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with its capital as.

Representative of Saudi Arabia. Now, give the floor to distinguished representative of Nicaragua.

Thank you very much.

Much, Madam Chair. The situation suffered by Palestine is a consequence of decades of occupation, displacement, dispossession and denial of the inalienable rights of a people that continues to resist with dignity and to defend its right to self-determination. For generations, the Palestinian people has been deprived of the full exercise of its sovereignty over its land, water and other natural resources. That situation has limited its abilities to produce, cultivate, build and to develop its own economy. The continual confiscation of agricultural land, the destruction of crops, restrictions on access to water and the deterioration in livelihoods of Palestinian families are practices that affect their current living conditions, compromise the future of generations to come, and deepen economic and social inequality. We reaffirm that permanent sovereignty over natural resources is an inalienable right of the Palestinian people, recognized in international law and in the pertinent resolutions of the United Nations. The full exercise of that right is essential to achieving sustainable development, strengthening food security, and guaranteeing decent living conditions. Recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Palestinian territories must fully respect Palestinian sovereignty and national priorities. The Palestinian people must be able to administer its resources, develop its productive activities, and freely decide on its economic future. without external impositions or conditions. Nicaragua reiterates its staunch support for the just Palestinian cause and the full exercise of that people's historic and inalienable rights. After so many decades of injustice, the Palestinian people deserves to build its future in freedom, justice, dignity and prosperity, fully exercising its sovereignty over its lands and its natural resources. Thank you very much.

Thank you, distinguished representative of Nicaragua. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Cuba aligns itself with the statement of Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China. And we are grateful for the report presented, which documents the devastating consequences of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people and the people of the occupied Syrian Golan on the over their natural resources. A year after the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, violence in and in the direction of Gaza has not ceased. The economy of that territory has contracted by 84% compared to 2023. Its human development has regressed by 77 years, and only 4% of its agricultural land remains accessible and undamaged. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the expansion of illegal settlements is continuing. as is the confiscation of lands and forced displacement. Cuba energetically condemns the genocide perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinian people, and it denounces the criminal complicity of the United States, whose sustained support is perpetuating impunity, the impunity of the occupying power. The advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice restate the illegality of the Israeli presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. and its obligation to facilitate humanitarian assistance. The reconstruction of Gaza is no replacement for a just political solution. No agreement will be sustainable without an independent sovereign Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and with the right of return of the refugees guaranteed. It is therefore urgent for Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations. Cuba condemns the Israeli attacks against other nations of the Middle East and demands Israel's complete and unconditional withdrawal from the Syrian Golan and all the occupied Arab territories. We call for an end to the occupation, to the illegal settlements, and to the exploitation of Palestinian natural resources. There will be no peace or sustainable development while that noble people is deprived of its freedom, lands, and resources. While this and other injustices continue, Cuba will raise its voice to defend the right of other peoples to exist and to live in peace. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sudan.

Thank you, Chairperson. At the outset, my delegation is honored to be with you today to discuss this item of paramount importance for the Sudan, and we align ourselves with the statement of the Arab Group and the G77 and China. Chair, the right to development is an inherent human right, as reaffirmed by the UN Declaration on the Right to Development. However, the Palestinian people to this day is denied systemically of this basic right. We cannot talk about the genuine development of a people that does not have access to their right and the and the right to control their land, their water, their energy, borders and economy, the occupation continues to exploit, deplete and destroy Palestinian natural resources in the Gaza Strip. The destructive war and the prolonged blockade led to a semi-destruction of the vital infrastructure, undermining any prospect for recovery and reconstruction, threatening the health of residents and their lives in a direct manner. The ICJ, in its advisory opinion of July 2004 and in its advisory opinion on the same month 10 years later, reaffirmed the illegal nature of ongoing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory and that it should end as soon as possible. The Sudan reaffirms honoring international law and international obligations is not optional. It's an obligation on the international community. Therefore, we reaffirm the inherent rights of the Palestinian people to their natural resources. We call on Israel, the occupying power, to refrain from exploiting, destroying, or depleting Palestinian natural resources. reaffirm the Palestinian people's right to full reparations. We reaffirm the need for Israel not to obstruct development in Palestine, and we call on supporting UNRWA. We reaffirm that the Palestinian people should not be denied their right to establish their independent state. The genuine sustainable development of the Palestinian people will only be achieved when occupation ends and when they can establish their independent sovereign right along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Sudan. And now I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kuwait.

In the name of God, Chair, I would like to thank Ms. Rania Al-Mashat, the executive secretary of ESCWA, for her report on the repercussions of the economic and social repercussions of the occupation. We commend the efforts of ESCWA. The report not only talks about the negative consequences, but also how the Palestinian people are denied their legitimate right to self-determination and sovereignty over their natural resources. In the Gaza Strip, U.N. figures discusses a reduction in sustainable development. There's a rise in unemployment and a reduction in capita GDP, whereas the needs for reconstruction is about $71.5 million. This reflects the destruction against the economy and living conditions. The State of Kuwait condemns ongoing Israeli settlement expansion, the exploitation of resources, and settler violence, including in East Jerusalem. These practices undermine the living conditions of the Palestinians and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. We also call on the on providing clearance revenues to the Palestinian people. In the occupied Golan, we reject any exploitation of the natural resources, and we call for honoring Resolution 497. We also reaffirmed the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic and its territorial integrity and unity. The State of Kuwait reaffirms the sovereignty of the Palestinian people over their and the Arab population of the occupied Golan over their natural resources. The occupying power must abide by their international obligations, as reaffirmed by the ICJ in its two advisory opinions of 2024 and 2025 the state of Kuwait provided its annual contribution to anawa of $2 million and along with Jordan and Slovenia launched an initiative on providing contributions to anawa in conclusion reaffirmed the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the humanitarian assistance to be delivered without any impediments, and we call for reconstruction pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2803. Reconstruction, as important as it is, cannot replace the establishment of a Palestinian state along the lines of June 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kuwait. Now I invite to take the floor the distinguished representative of Oman.

In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. Chair, the Sultanate of Oman reaffirms that the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people over their natural resources is an inherent right that cannot be separated from their right to self-determination. It is a main pillar for building their economy and their sustainable development. My country reaffirms its constant position that supports the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, notably the establishment of an independent sovereign state along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, pursuant to international law and resolutions of international legitimacy. In this regard, the Sultanate of Oman expresses its grave concern regarding ongoing settlement activities in the West Bank occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem especially the settlement plan in the E1 area as this threatens the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian territory it undermines the possibility of establishing an independent contiguous viable Palestinian state and the prospects of the two-state solution. Therefore, my delegation joins other delegations that called for an immediate and complete cessation of all settlement activities to end the confiscation of land and the depletion of natural resources. They must refrain from any attempt to add legitimacy to any measures that could change the legal, geographic, or demographic status quo of the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. While reaffirming the need to abide by international law and relevant UN resolutions, when it comes to the occupied Syrian Golan, the Sultanate of Oman reaffirms the need to respect relevant international resolutions and not to exploit natural resources or take any measures that could change the legal or demographic status quo, while taking into account what the report mentioned on ongoing restrictions to the Syrian residents' access to their land and natural resources. In conclusion, the Sultanate of Oman reaffirms that addressing the humanitarian and economic repercussions, as important and urgent as they may be, cannot replace addressing the root causes of this cause. We call for intensified international efforts to achieve a just, comprehensive, and permanent peace based on the two-state solution. to establish an independent Palestinian state along the lines of June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, pursuant to international law and resolutions of international legitimacy. I thank you.

Thank you, the distinguished representative of Oman. And now I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar. Can you please assist Qatar with the microphone?

Foreign language Chairperson, we would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report. We align ourselves with the statements of the G7, China, and the Arab Group, and the GCC. Chair, the report of the Secretary-General discussed the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation over the living conditions of the Palestinian people and their national resources. The destructive war destroyed the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented way. The State of Qatar reaffirms that ongoing exploitation of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territory and occupied Golan and denying the Palestinian and Syrian people from accessing these resources would prevent them from achieving sustainable development. The Palestinian people must exercise its sovereignty over its national natural resources. However, this cannot be achieved as long as their land is occupied. We stress that the priority is to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and to completely implement obligations related to the ceasefire, guarantee the delivery of humanitarian assistance without impediments, and providing necessary and essential services. We also must provide the favorable conditions for recovery and reconstruction so the Palestinian people can resume normal life, and this would be an important basis for sustainable development. The mediation efforts carried out by Qatar alongside Egypt and the United States were based on our conviction that we must end the humanitarian suffering and provide favorable conditions towards a path towards peace. It is important to support UNRWA. as a main partner in providing a number of humanitarian and educational, health, and development services as part of its mandate. The State of Qatar also reaffirms the right of the Arab population in the occupied Golan to their natural resources. We reject any measures to change the demographic and legal status of the Golan. We also call for ending the occupation and the withdrawal of Israel from the occupied Golan. pursuant to UN resolutions. In conclusion, the State of Qatar renews its position that supports the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, notably the right to self-determination and the establishment of their state along the lines of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Qatar. And I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of United Arab Emirates.

Chair, at the outset, my country reaffirms the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to the permanent sovereignty over their natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. We also reaffirm the right of the occupied Syrian Golan to their natural resources. These are all main pillars to achieve sustainable development As part of our discussion today, we would like to reaffirm the three following points. One, my country condemns settlement expansion in the West Bank, including the E1 plan that threatens territorial contiguity between the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as the restrictions imposed on the mobility of the Palestinians to their agricultural land and their water sources, in addition to settler violence and terror. We call for revoking these measures and any attempts of annexation and forceful displacement, and to end the illegitimate Israeli presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. Second, my country reaffirmed the need to respect the ceasefire in Gaza, to end the ongoing violations, and to guarantee the delivery of humanitarian assistance without impediment. We also reaffirmed the importance of recovering the ability for food production in light of the large-scale destruction to the agricultural sector. We also reaffirmed the need to push forward early recovery in Gaza to enable the Palestinians to provide for themselves, in addition to safe access to their agricultural land and markets. It is also important to address the water and sanitation crisis. It is also important to protect the environment and natural resources from pollution and depletion. My country calls for a full implementation of the comprehensive plan on Gaza and the roadmap pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2803 and to move forward towards the two-state solution and to establish an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital that lives side by side with Israel in peace and security. We also reaffirmed the need to protect the rights of the Syrian Golan, occupied Syrian Golan, to their natural resources, including land, water, and energy. We reject any practice that exploit or deplete these resources in line with relevant UN resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 497. I thank you.

Thank you, distinguished representative of UAE. And now I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq.

Chair. We would like to thank ASCO for organizing this report. My country aligns itself with the statements of the G77 and China and the Arab Group, and we would like to make these remarks in our national capacity. The report once again uncovers the catastrophe facing the Palestinian people under occupation. The number of martyrs in the Gaza Strip exceeded 72,000 up until the end of March 2026, mostly women and children. Casualties continue even after the announcement of the ceasefire. The occupation forces has killed over 700 Palestinians since that date. The report also talks about the exploitation of natural resources, which is very dangerous around 92% of agricultural land in Gaza were damaged. Only 4% remain viable and accessible. Sanitation stations stopped completely, which polluted underground water. Furthermore, the war left around 68 million tons of unexploited ordnance This destruction of land, water, and soil threatens the viability of living in the Gaza Strip for generations to come. In the West Bank, including Jerusalem, the report documented an escalation in settlements. They approved over 26,000 new settlement units in sea area and around 10,000 in East Jerusalem. Furthermore, settler violence has reached its highest levels since the United Nations started documenting settler violence with over 2,000 attacks. Chair, we renew our position that the Palestinian people have the right to establish a Palestinian state Furthermore, we reaffirm that the occupied Syrian Golan have the right to their natural resources. Furthermore, the Palestinian people must receive full reparations. Our full statement will be provided. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Iraq and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Syrian Arab Republic.

Thank you, Chair. My delegation would like to align itself with the statements of the Arab Group and the G77 and China. I would also like to thank member states that stood beside the international law and expressed support to the Syrian sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan. Colleagues, last -- during the past few days, we discussed many social, economic, and development issues. Today, we are talking about how the occupation denies people their right to their natural resources. New Syria is working on providing favorable conditions for the return of refugees. However, Israel is undermining these efforts. Israel continues its incursion. since 2024, and occupation forces continue to work on the so-called Sofa 53rd line. They're also destroying agricultural land, removing trees, attacking residents, forcefully displacing them. They're also expelling them from their homes. and in a dangerous escalation to water security, they have -- they confiscated water sources in Syria. The Syrian -- the Israeli government also put in place a plan to transform the first Syrian town in the occupied Golan. They are also implementing energy projects to provide settlements with energy. Chair, we condemn in the strongest terms these Israeli practices. No support should be provided to the occupation power in order to support settlements or the establishment of new settlements. These Israeli violations in the south of Syria, these are not by chance, they are targeting the environment, and we will need hundreds of years to make up for this damage. In conclusion, my country reaffirms its full sovereignty over Syrian natural resources that is currently controlled by the Israeli occupation. Their control does not deny my country's right to exploit these resources for the benefit of the Syrian people pursuant to international I thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, distribution representative of Syria. And now give the floor to the permanent representative of Namibia. Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam President. Namibia aligns with the statement delivered on behalf of the groups of 77 and China. This decade is not simply about land or resources. It is about dignity and the inalienable rights of the people who have lived under occupation for generations. It concerns a simple truth, affirmed repeatedly by international law and UN resolutions, no occupation confers sovereignty, and no occupation, no occupying power may rightfully claim control over the natural resources of a people it holds under its military rule. For the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory and for the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan. The violation of this principle is a daily reality. Their lands are confiscated, their water diverted, their agricultural and economic potential constrained, and their environment degraded by policies that undermine the achievement of SDGs. Namibia is deeply concerned by the continued exploitation of the natural resources in these territories as well as related human rights violations by the occupying power. Such apartheid colonial practices are not only illegal, they are part of the broader pattern of dispossession and entrenches occupation and undermines the prospects of peace and a two-state solution. In the same vein, the expansion of settlements constitutes clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and relevant UN resolutions. Madam President, Permanent sovereignty over natural resources is an expression of self-determination. When a people is denied control over its land and resources, it is denied the ability to shape its own future. Namibia knows this history intimately. We therefore speak with clarity. The Palestinian people have the inherent, non-negotiable right to control and benefit from their resources. Namibia calls on the occupying power to cease all practices and comply with the obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. We further call on the international community to ensure accountability for violations and to enforce measures that restore the economic, environmental, and developmental rights of the affected populations. In conclusion, Madam President, permanent sovereignty over natural resources is a universal right. cannot be upheld in one region and ignored in another. A just and lasting peace in the Middle East hinges on the realization of an independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.

I thank Your Excellency for the statement. Now I would like to invite the distinguished representative of Bangladesh to take the floor.

Madam Chair, Bangladesh aligns itself with the statement of the G77 and China and welcomes the Secretary-General's report presented this morning. We express grave concern over the devastating impact of Israel's prolonged occupation, serious violations of international law, destruction of civilian infrastructure, forced displacement, settlement expansion, and restrictions on movement and humanitarian access. These illegal practices have severely undermined the Palestinian people's fundamental rights, livelihoods, and socio-economic development, including in Gaza. Bangladesh is deeply concerned by the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the destruction of agricultural lands and food production capacities, and the continued violations of the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over natural resources. We call for an immediate end to these violations in accordance with international law and relevant resolutions and urge unhindered humanitarian access to ensure urgent delivery of food, water, medical supplies, shelter, and education services. Madam Chair, Bangladesh stresses the importance of strengthening UNRWA through renewed political and financial support to sustain its vital humanitarian services for Palestinian refugees. Sovereignty over natural resources is not possible without self-determination. We reiterate our call for an immediate end to the illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian and for the full implementation of the New York Declaration to realize an independent, viable and contagious state of Palestine. As a proponent of the culture of peace, we envision a Middle East where peace and stability prevail for all peoples of the region. We remain steadfast and unequivocal in our call on the global community to work towards a two-state solution of the Palestinian issue based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the aspirations of the Palestinian people for peace, dignity, and justice. To conclude, Madam Chair, we reaffirm our commitment to support a Palestinian-led solution towards their political and economic sovereignty. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Bangladesh and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Madam Chair. My delegation aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We thank ESCWA for its report, which demonstrates how the Israeli regime occupation continues to undermine Palestinian development and deprive people of control over their land, water, and natural resources. The question raised by this agenda item remains fundamental. How can the Palestinian people achieve the Sustainable Development Goals while they remain under occupation and the foundations of their survival and the development are being destroyed? Madam Chair, the ESCO report document devastating human and economic losses. By 31 March 2026, more than 72,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza since October 2023. Women and children have borne an appalling share of this suffering. Gaza's economy contracted by 84% in 2025 compared with 2023, while recovery and reconstruction needs are estimated at $71.4 billion. Behind these figures are families deprived of shelter, children deprived of education, and communities deprived of livelihood. The destruction of agricultural land, irrigation networks, and water infrastructure has undermined food production and access to safe water. Restrictions on access to farmland and fishing grounds further deny Palestinians the means to sustain themselves. Madam Chair, UN Secretary reports and documents testify that this devastation is compounded by structural restrictions on the Palestinian economy. This report states that Israeli regime control over 85% of Palestinian groundwater. Settlement expansion, movement restriction, and settler violence further fragment the territory and obstruct productive activity. The withholding of Palestinian clearances revenues threatens essential public services, including healthcare and education. These revenues belong to the Palestinian people and must be transferred without deductions or delay. We call for an immediate end to an Israeli aggression and a permanent ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, and sustained international financial and technical support for Palestinian recovery. Reconstruction must restore productive capacities and enable Palestinians to exercise sovereignty over their natural resources. Madam Chair, we also condemn the continued exploitation of land, water and other natural resources in the occupied Syrian Golan. The Golan is an integral part of the Syrian Arab Republic and measures seeking to alter its character or status must cease. In conclusion, Madam Chair, lasting development, including the ways and means to achieve sustainable development and economic growth in the occupied Palestinian territory, requires an end to occupation and the realization of the Palestinian people's inalienable rights, including self-determination. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Iran, and now I invite to take the floor the distinguished representative of Jordan.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to thank Dr. Rania El Mashat, the executive secretary of the ESCWA, and her team for preparing the report that is our subject of discussion today. Distinguished colleagues, we welcome the report and its conclusions that the illegal Israeli occupation of occupied Palestinian territory and the occupied Syrian Golan continue to negatively affect various aspects of the lives of Palestinians and Syrians, including their ability to manage and benefit from their natural resources. The report highlights that agricultural activities and the food security in the occupied Palestinian territory has been significantly affected by the ongoing military operation and the imposed restrictions, which have resulted in the destruction of vast areas of agricultural land and the undermining of rural livelihoods as a result of settlement expansion and escalating settler violence against landowners, farmers, and livestock breeders. In the education sector, approximately 700,000 of children have been deprived education as a result of the destruction of schools and the death of thousands of students and teachers. Schools in the West Bank have been subjected to forced closures, including UNRWA schools in Jerusalem. On labor and economy, unemployment has deteriorated and the gross domestic product has contracted. In addition, settlement construction project, especially in the E1 area, has resulted in negative consequences for the potential geographical contiguity of a Palestinian state. Madam Chair, we reaffirm the advisory opinion of the ICJ in July 2024, which has confirmed the illegality of Israeli settlements. We also reaffirm the court's opinion of October 2025, which determined that Israel is obligated to approve and facilitate humanitarian programs by the United Nations and its agencies, and in particular the UNRWA, as well as by third states. We further reiterate the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and freedom and their sovereignty over their natural resources. Distinguished colleagues, the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan continue to face direct economic, social, and humanitarian consequences as a result of the ongoing occupation and the Israeli practices, including land confiscations, movement restrictions, and effects on employment opportunities. We stress that the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan is a violation of international law and an obstacle to development and peace. In conclusion, we call on the international community to uphold the legal and moral responsibility and work for an end to the Israeli occupation in all Arab territory.

And the microphone has been cut off.

-of Jordan, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Pakistan.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Pakistan aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We welcome the report prepared by ESCWA, which highlights the devastating consequences of Israel's prolonged occupation. Beyond denying the Palestinian people their fundamental rights, Israel's policies and practices have devastated their economy, deprived them of their land and natural resources, and systematically undermine the foundations of their development and future prosperity. In Gaza, the scale of devastation is staggering. The report notes that the economy contracted by 84% compared with 2023. Reconstruction needs stand at $71.4 billion over the next decade, while human development has been set back by 77 years. Croplands, water systems, and fishing livelihoods have been destroyed, and soil and groundwater contaminated. An entire generation is being robbed of its future. In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, illegal settlement expansion, land seizures, and forced displacement continue unabated. The E1 settlement project threatens Palestinian territorial contiguity. Despite the Gaza peace plan, ceasefire violations continue. More than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed, and restrictions on humanitarian access persist. The ceasefire must be fully upheld, aid delivered unhindered, UNRWA supported, and recovery and reconstruction advanced without delay. All settlement activities must cease, and measures advancing annexation reversed. In the occupied Syrian Golan, illegal settlements continue to expand. while agriculture, land and water resources are exploited. Pakistan reaffirms its support for Syria's sovereignty and reiterates its call for an end to the occupation in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. Madam Chair, permanent sovereignty over natural resources is inseparable from the Palestinian people's inalienable right to self-determination. Israel must cease its unlawful practices, including exploitation of Palestinian natural resources, and comply with its obligations under international law and relevant UN resolutions. Pakistan supports full and good faith implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803, the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, and the New York Declaration. Ultimately, our collective efforts must converge on a credible, time-bound, and irreversible political process ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent, sovereign, contiguous, and viable state of Palestine on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Pakistan and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.

Madam Chair, the annual meeting on the sovereignty of the Palestinian people and the Arab population over the natural resources of the occupied territories, unfortunately, remains fully relevant. For so many years, the Israeli authorities have consistently carried out a policy of strengthening administrative and legal control over the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. At a record pace, there's construction of new and the broadening of existing settlements. We condemn this policy of Israel also being carried out as an occupying power with regard to the Syrian Golan. The permanent humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territories has taken on cataclysmic dimensions in the wake of Israel's military operation. The attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023 are completely unjustified, and there's no justification also for what happened, the collective punishment of all of the Gazan civilians. Israel has continued to use the territory of the sector as a de facto prison for the local population, maintaining restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian goods. That's happening through the arbitrary inclusion of a number of goods in the dual use category and also through the lack of desire to renew the work of all the border crossings. In these circumstances, recovery of Gaza is simply impossible, and so is establishing the sovereignty of the Palestinians over their natural resources. We're particularly concerned by the situation of UNRWA. We recall that the agency is the backbone of the humanitarian wing of the United Nations in Palestine, and it has unique capacity in terms of providing social, educational, and medical services. Without it, it's impossible to have a normal post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza, and the risk of radicalization of the Palestinian society will merely grow. We're convinced that this scenario cannot serve to establish peace in the Middle East and the coexistence of the Arab and Jewish population in these lands. We're convinced that a just and lasting peace is impossible without the implementation of the decisions of the Security Council and the UNGA. as regards the recognition of the permanent sovereignty of peoples over their raw materials, inter alia. We need to guarantee the implementation of the legitimate right of Palestinians to self-determination and to allow them to create a contiguous and viable state within 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. There's also a need to stop the occupation of the Syrian Golan and Israel's expansion of the occupation to other regions of Syria and Lebanon while imposing similar practices on them. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. Now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We meet today while the situation in Palestine has deteriorated severely. The Secretary-General's report highlights the economic and social implications of the Israeli occupation and mentions the large scale of suffering and the situation which is as a result of violation of international law. In three years, the occupation has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians. Victims continue to fall even as a ceasefire continues. The situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. The violence continues, and movement restrictions are widely imposed, and farmers are prevented from reaching their lands and forced to evacuate their lands. The occupation has also led to unprecedented destruction of the infrastructure. More than 60% of the population are without shelter. What conscience accepts this situation? These attacks have even affected UN premises. Madam Chair, in the occupied Syrian Golan, the Israeli settlements continue to exploit the natural resources while imposing restrictions on movement and access to land, and property continues to be destroyed. The suffering has made this situation a moral and humanitarian responsibility upon us all. Madam Chair, Algeria has expressed its condemnation of the repeated settler attacks against village residents in Palestine. Algeria also condemns in the strongest terms the attacks and the Israeli practices that target UNRWA and its staff and its premises. and we emphasize the need to respect humanitarian workers and protect them and UN premises. Algeria's firm position on the question of Palestine is a reflection of our dedication to protecting legitimate rights and a human conscience that must work to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and allow the Palestinian people to practice their self-determination and establish their independent state. Thank you.

Representative of Algeria. And now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Tunisia.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Tunisia aligns itself with the statements delivered by the Group of 77 and China and the Arab Group and wishes to make the following remarks in its national capacity. Since 7 October 2023, number of Palestinians killed: 73,910. more than 20,000. more than 38,000, according to UN Women's estimate, reported on 9 October 2026. 175,000, that is 11% of the population. People missing in Gaza, more than 10,000, including more than 8,000 believed to remain under the rubble. Since the announcement of the ceasefire in October 25, 1,394 Palestinians have been killed. The devastation of Gaza illustrates the catastrophic consequences of denying a people the conditions necessary to sustain their own lives and economy. According to the joint assessment by the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank, published in April 26, Gaza requires 71 billion US dollars for recovery and reconstruction. Physical damage has reached 35 billion dollars, while economic and social losses amount to another 22 billion dollars. More than 371,000 housing units have been destroyed or damaged, and human development has been set back by an estimated 77 years. 77 years, Madam Chair. Gaza lives in 1949 now. The economic indicators are equally devastating. According to UN Trade and Development, UNCTAD, 92% of Gaza's economic establishments have been damaged or destroyed. Unemployment reached 78% in '25, while GDP per capita collapsed to just $190 annually. That is only 17% of its '22 level. Agricultural and industrial output remained 94% below their 2022 levels. Less than 3% of Gaza's cropland remained both accessible and undamaged. Madam Chair, the right to development cannot be realized when access to land and water is restricted, productive assets are destroyed, and the people are prevented from fully benefiting from their own natural wealth. In the West Bank, restrictions on access to land and natural resources further constrain Palestinians' economic activity. The same principle of permanent sovereignty must be upheld for the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. I thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Tunisia and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Gambia.

Thank you, Chair. The Gambia renews its support for continued diplomatic efforts towards a just and lasting peace. We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity to the people of Palestine, including their inalienable right to self-determination and the right to live in freedom and dignity. The Gambia remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory and their profound implications for the future of the Palestinian people. We express grave concern over the continued civilian casualties, displacement, restriction on humanitarian access, and the destruction of homes and essential infrastructure, despite the ceasefire commitments. Madam Chair, the Gambia recalls its call for full respect for international humanitarian law and the UN Charter as a cornerstone for peace and security in the region, and to this end stresses the following. First, the full implementation of the ceasefire commitment and a permanent cessation of hostilities, alongside urgent implementation of the New York Declaration and Security Council Resolution 2803. Second, respect for the Palestinian people's permanent sovereignty over their natural resources, consistent with General Assembly Resolution 80/158. We urge an immediate end to settlement expansion, land confiscation, and the exploitation, damage, and depletion of those resources. Third, safe, immediate, and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Gaza and the removal of all restrictions on materials and equipment needed for reconstruction. We support Palestinian-led reconstruction backed by predictable financing to restore essential services, agriculture, and decent livelihoods. Fourth, we underscore the vital role of ONWA and call for its sustained and predictable funding, protection of its personnel, facilities and full cooperation with the agencies in fulfilling its mandate. Madam Chair, finally, The Gambia underscores the urgent need for lasting regional peace, stability, recovery and an end to the occupation through a just and lasting political settlement. We reaffirm our unequivocal call for an independent, viable, contiguous, and sovereign state of Palestine, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with the state of Israel in peace and security. To conclude, Madam Chair, the Gambian reiterates calls for sustained international engagement to advance this goal, strengthen Palestinian institutions, and support a self-sustaining Palestinian economy. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Gambia and now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Egypt.

Madam Chair, my delegation aligned itself with the statement on behalf of the G77 and China, as well as the statement on behalf of the Arab Group, and we emphasize the following. Egypt expresses its deep concern with regards to the SG report on the situation and the aggression against Gaza and the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, leading to the death of tens of thousands and the displacement of millions, and the destruction of infrastructure, and using hunger as a weapon of war in violation of international law. We also express our concern to the deterioration of the situation in the West Bank as a result of the illegal settlement activity and the confiscation of land, the demolition of homes, and the restrictions on movement of goods and persons. and all violations against the Palestinian civilians. Egypt reaffirms that these practices are a violation of the principle of the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people over their natural resources. This requires international action on an urgent basis to end the occupation and to guarantee humanitarian access without interruption, and to promote the role and support the role of the UNRWA as a lifeline for millions of Palestinians. Madam Chair, Egypt reiterates that it continues its effort with partners in order to implement the end the war plan of Sharm el-Sheikh, which is a pillar that aims to achieve stability and the bloodshed and the suffering, and to create the conducive conditions for peace while guaranteeing humanitarian access. Egypt also prepares to host the Gaza reconstruction conference at the time being. Egypt also expresses its concern with regards to the continued Israeli exploitation of natural resources in the Syrian Golan, and it's use of the illegal settlements at the expense of the local population. These practices are a violation of international humanitarian law, and we emphasize that the occupation must end as a condition for peace, for just and lasting peace. In conclusion, ending the occupation is an illegal and more, rather a legal and moral responsibility on the international community. Egypt will continue, based on our historical commitment to the question of Palestine, its efforts so that the Palestinian people can practice their inalienable rights and achieve sovereignty over their land. Thank you.

Of Egypt, and now distinguished delegates, we have heard the last speaker on the list. and in this way concluded the general discussion on item 58 I wish to recall that the submission deadline for draft proposals under this item is 3 p.m. on Tuesday 20 of October the exercise of the right of reply has been requested in accordance with rule 115 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly I should like to remind the legations that the number of interventions in exercise of the right of reply of any delegation at a given meeting should be limited to two per item. The first intervention should be limited to three minutes and the second one to two minutes. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Israel.

Thank you, Madam President. This Assembly is by now well acquainted with the position of my delegation. No doubt that you are tired of hearing how, even after we disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005, we continue to support Palestinians with water and electricity, even though terror groups took control and have proven with decades of kidnapping, stabbings, bus bombings, car ramming, and livestream massacre that they want us dead. It must bore you to hear again that Gaza is in the grip of a terrorist organization which by design embeds itself in a civilian population. That Hamas cuts off the flow of humanitarian aid to create mass panic, depression, and utter dependence. That it stocks its weapons in hospitals, schools, and mosques. That it teaches its children to crave the destructions of the Jewish people. We can imagine how repetitive the words October 7th must be for you. So we will not talk about the 91-year-old Moshe Riedler or his caregiver, Petro Bosco, who were murdered in their home in Kibbutz Holit. Or 24-years-old Lotana Beer, killed at the Nova Music Festival. We won't waste your time with 9-year-old Tamar Chayato Perushvili, who suffered fatal cardiac arrest in her home in Ashdod from sirens warning of rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Your fatigue is understandable. We too are tired. We are tired of repeating ourselves for deaf ears. But unfortunately, the truth of these statements has not changed. Why is disarmament of Palestinian terror groups not on our agenda? Why is the scrutiny not on those demanding recognition? The burden of proof rests on the Palestinian Authority, proof that they seek peace. are willing to live side by side with Israelis, are capable of self-governance, and will uphold civil liberties and human rights. Let us not kid ourselves. We are in the 21st year of Mahmoud Abbas' four years term. You do the math. But none of that seems to matter here in this hall. It is the spectacle that matters, the optics of morality, the applause for virtue signaling, the volley of accusation, which never once turned inward in demand of sincere moral reckoning. Because the turning words would mean to take responsibility, and taking responsibility is something that the Palestinian Authority has consistently proven incapable of. Thank you.

Is there any other intervention at this point? If this is not the case, we come to the closing, and before closing the meeting, would like to note that we have concluded all items and the general discussions on the item before us in this session. The Committee will hold its joint thematic meeting with the Economic and Social Council here in Conference Room on Monday, 19 October at 10 a.m. The joint meeting will focus on the topic of closing the SDG financing gap in a changing global economy, innovative finance for accelerated SDG action. The Committee will also hold its annual dialogue with executive secretaries of regional commissions on Tuesday, 20 October at 10 a.m. in this conference room. As delegations are aware, the Committee is at the beginning of its intensive phase of informal consultations on draft proposals, with a number of consultations already held. I call on all delegations to demonstrate a constructive attitude and flexibility with a view to reaching consensus of draft proposals. And myself and the Bureau, we are at your disposal throughout the negotiations. With that, I am pleased to conclude the meeting. The meeting is adjourned.