Fourth Committee, 26th plenary meeting - General Assembly, 80th session

The 26th meeting of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee is called to order. The committee will begin today its consideration of agenda item 50, entitled "Israeli practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories. The documentation under this item is listed in the UN Journal. This morning, the Committee will listen to introductory statements followed by a question-and-answer period. Thereafter, the Committee will begin its general debate on this item. I warmly welcome the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and the Chair of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, His Excellency Mr. Jayantha Chandrasekara Jayasuriya, and the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ms. Ilse Brand-Keris. I now give the floor to Ambassador Jayasuriya in his capacity as Chair of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories. to present the work of the Committee and the 57th report of the Committee contained in document A/80/365. You have the floor.

Thank you, Honorable Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. Good morning. I have the honour of presenting the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories. It covers the period from August 2024 to July 2025 and documents the catastrophic human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, and the developments in the occupied Syrian Golan. Before I proceed to present the report covering the above-mentioned period, it is pertinent to acknowledge and place on record that the initial phase of ceasefire in Gaza has come into operation from 10th October following the significant efforts by the United States of America, assisted and mediated by the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Turkey, along with several other countries. The current ceasefire brings in a renewed sense of hope following the two years of profound human suffering. It is the responsibility of all relevant stakeholders to build on this foundation and work on achieving lasting peace and security, ending an era of destruction and suffering. Our Committee’s findings point to two overriding concerns during the reporting period, which I would like to address today, namely the acts of genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the territorial expansion of occupied areas consistent with the Greater Israel project. These developments demand the urgent attention of the international community and all Member States. Despite being denied access to the occupied territories since its establishment, the Committee continues to discharge its mandate. In May 2025, we conducted a field mission to Amman, Jordan, meeting government officials, refugees, UN agencies, including UNRWA, human rights bodies, and civil society organizations. These testimonies and other documentation form the basis of our report. And once again, the Committee would like to thank the Government of Jordan for accepting the official visit. Excellencies, allow me to begin with the situation in Gaza. The humanitarian catastrophe there remains unprecedented. People are exhausted, and the hope and relief brought about by the ceasefire has turned their attention towards the despair and grief from the losses and destruction. Our previous report warned that Israeli military actions were creating the conditions for genocide. It is with deep sorrow that I must report that these atrocities have continued. and over the reporting period, continued without letup. The bombardment of civilian areas in Gaza has killed tens of thousands and maimed many more, with most of those killed being women and children, with thousands estimated to remain buried beneath the rubble. Over 80% of Gaza's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, and entire neighborhoods lie in ruins. This has left the majority of Gaza's population displaced with nowhere to return. Even locations designated by Israeli forces as safe zones have been bombed, and by July 2025, over 86% of Gaza had been declared a no-go zone or placed under evacuation orders, rendering the area effectively uninhabitable. The Committee stresses that these conditions are not accidental, but the result of deliberate policies implemented by the Israeli Government. Throughout the reporting period, Israel has ignored the binding provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice and continued its operations with total impunity. Israel continued to engage in such conduct and to enjoy impunity, including: by being shielded from sanctions and by continuing to receive arms supplies. Ladies and gentlemen, let me now turn to the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where we have seen unprecedented settler violence and annexation of land. Settlers, often acting alongside the Israeli security forces, have attacked Palestinian civilians, leading to widespread deaths, injuries, home demolitions, and land confiscations. Since October 2023, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and/or settlers in the West Bank, including more than 200 children. Meanwhile, the Israeli government has continued to approve new settlements and new housing units, and to let new outposts be established in the hundreds. These acts constitute de facto annexation and a flagrant breach of international law, the rights of the Palestinians, and UN resolutions. Of particular concern is Israel's decision to resume land registration in Area C, which had been halted since 1968. This process will undoubtedly lead to thousands of Palestinians being dispossessed of their property and will lead to their land being registered as state land, paving the way for further colonization. Senior Israeli officials have openly described this as part of a plan to bring another million settlers to the West Bank. Turning briefly to the occupied Syrian Golan, the Committee notes There are plans to significantly increase settlement expansion, discrimination against Syrian population, and efforts to pressure the Druze community into accepting Israeli citizenship, all of which violate the Fourth Geneva Convention and Syrian sovereignty. Distinguished delegates, the key focus of this year's report is the Greater Israel Project, which is a Zionist vision of territorial expansion in an under unlimited land of Israel, which, depending on interpretation, would encompass beyond the current state of Israel, all of the occupied Palestinian territory, parts of Syria and Lebanon, if not parts of Egypt and Iraq. Throughout the reporting period, Israeli officials repeatedly endorsed this ideology, constantly referring to so-called historical rights to the land of Israel, rather than to the state of Israel. In July 2025, the Knesset adopted a motion calling for the annexation of the entire West Bank, declaring it an inseparable part of the land of Israel. The defense minister also announced that Israeli forces would remain indefinitely in parts of Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria under the false justification of creating so-called security zones. In practice, this has meant new Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon and Syria, the establishment of buffer zones, and the continued occupation of Lebanese territory, despite ceasefire agreements. Israeli settlers have even attempted to sell Lebanese land and to establish illegal outposts in southern Lebanon, further demonstrating their willingness to indulge the greater Israel ideology. Honorable Chair, the committee notes that Israel is pursuing a systematic policy of territorial expansion through settlement, military occupation, and eventual annexation. These actions should and must be called out for what they are. violations of international law, policies that undermine peace and security, deny human rights, and inflict unspeakable suffering upon civilian populations. In closing, the Committee urges Member States to act decisively and to implement the recommendations in this year’s report. The Committee reminds the international community that it has a moral and legal obligation to prevent and punish genocide and to protect the Palestinian people and other occupied populations from human rights abuses. While the Committee welcomes the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, it also reminds the international community that Israel retains a presence in multiple locations in southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire agreement there, and has expanded its presence in Syria despite the disengagement agreement. Currently, Israel has troops on the ground in 53% of the territory in Gaza, as per the yellow line, where the Palestinian population is barred from entering. The international community must ensure that the ceasefire agreement proceeds to full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and that, as clarified by the International Court of Justice in July 2024, and voted by the General Assembly a year ago, Israel ends its unlawful occupation also from the West Bank. Member States should consider imposing political and economic sanctions and a full arms embargo until Israel ceases violating the Palestinian and other people's human rights and withdraw fully from all occupied territories in the region, as per the report. Member States should also consider fully cooperating with the International Criminal Court, exercise jurisdiction, and investigate and prosecute as relevant corporate entities, dual citizens, and other actors complicit in violations of international law. Distinguished delegates, The Committee presents this report with a view that it will spur meaningful action to end the unspeakable suffering of the Palestinians, who have endured an even greater atrocity crimes. The idea of a greater Israel, the claims to a borderless land of Israel, are fundamentally incompatible with a just and lasting peace, and will bring nothing but more suffering and dispossession to the Middle East region and its peoples. It is our collective duty as the international community to ensure that justice, human dignity, and the rule of law prevail over racism and discrimination, dehumanization, and aggression. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished Chair of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the occupied territories. I now invite the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ms. Ilse Brands-Keres, to introduce the reports A/80/399 and A/80/443 of the Secretary-General.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, Ambassador Jayasuriya, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, In September, the General Assembly endorsed the New York Declaration, reaffirming support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and setting out a phased roadmap to revive the two-state solution, starting with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages. Today, the ceasefire continues to hold in Gaza, thanks to the efforts of the guarantor nations. Together with the hostage and prisoner releases, it has brought huge relief and hope on both sides after two years of unspeakable suffering. But relief must not blind us to the reality of what has been done and what remains for Palestinians in the occupied territory. Mr. Chair, the conduct of hostilities in Gaza has been emblematic of what comes with the systematic violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. Pervasive impunity has facilitated the sheer scale of violations that the United Nations Human Rights Office has monitored and documented. The system of international law and its justice mechanisms can only retain its legitimacy if those who have so flagrantly violated it are held to account and justice for victims is served. We must also not ignore that the killing and suffering in Gaza continues. According to the Health Ministry, as of yesterday, 266 Palestinians have been killed and 635 injured since the ceasefire. Following the death of one Israeli soldier, a day-long Israeli bombardment killed over 100 Palestinians, at least 46 of them children. The Israeli military retains on-the-ground control of approximately half of Gaza, a no-go zone for Palestinians. The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic, yet access is still largely restricted, with aid and supplies under Israel's strict control and additional requirements imposed on INGOs. Aid allowed into Gaza since the ceasefire has been a drop in the ocean, despite binding orders by the International Court of Justice and its latest advisory opinion. Mr. Chair, we must keep sight of the fact that the root cause of the cycles of killing and repression has not been addressed, namely the denial of the Palestinians' human rights, including their right to self-determination. A prerequisite is for Israel to end its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory. However, Israel continues to consolidate its annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory while emptying large parts of it of Palestinian communities, as the first report I present today highlights in detail. The report of the Secretary-General on the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan covers the year from June 2024 to May 2025. It updates on the acceleration in Israel's illegal settlement advancement and its unlawful exercise of sovereignty over the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, amounting to annexation of large parts of the occupied Palestinian territory. As of end May 2025, over 737,000 Israeli settlers were living in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 165 settlements and 271 outposts. 55 outposts were established during the reporting year. This included, for the first time, outposts in Area B, an alarming development in settlement expansion. Commenting on the approval of 22 new settlements, the largest in decades, the Defense Minister declared this, and I quote, "Prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state," end of quote. An overarching institutional and legal regime of discrimination and oppression leaves Palestinians no choice but to leave their homes and their land. This includes the illegal appropriation of land and resources. such as through declarations of so-called state land, and through a regime of demolitions and evictions. Each month, on average, 366 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from demolitions, compared with 224 during the previous reporting period. Settler and State violence, which is increasingly indistinguishable, remained central to the coercive environment of violence, discrimination, and oppression that induces forced displacement and forcible transfer, enables annexation, and denies Palestinians right to self-determination. In this regard, the report highlights that settlers have been enlisted and deployed in their areas of residence in large numbers for reserve duty and so-called regional defense battalions. The report provides an update on settlement expansion in the occupied Syrian Golan, where the Israeli government continued to seek doubling the settler population. In the wake of the fall of the former Syrian government, the Israeli military seized control of further Syrian territory, impacting on the rights of local communities. The report concludes that the ongoing forcible transfer of Palestinians and the transfer of part of Israel's own civilian population into occupied territory continue to alter the character, status, and demographic composition of the occupied West Bank, and may amount to war crimes and possibly a crime against humanity. The report further concludes that the denial of the Palestinians' right to self-determination continues to be perpetrated through an increasingly institutionalized and entrenched regime of systematic discrimination, violence, and oppression by Israel. The Secretary General ends by calling again on Israel to end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory, including by evacuating all Israeli settlers. Mr. Chair, the second report I am briefly introducing today is the Secretary-General’s report on the occupied Syrian Golan submitted pursuant to resolution A/RES/79/90. The General Assembly, through this resolution, called upon Israel, the occupying power, to comply with relevant resolutions, particularly Security Council resolution 497, which declared Israel's imposition of its laws, jurisdiction, and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan null and void, and without international legal effect. It further called upon Israel to desist from changing the character, demography, structure, and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan, especially through settlement establishment, as well as from imposing Israeli citizenship and identity cards on Syrian citizens, and from repressive measures. The report summarizes Member States' replies received to requests for information regarding any steps taken or envisaged concerning the implementation of the resolution. Thank you.

I thank Ms. Branzkeris. I now give the floor to Committee members that wish to put questions or comments before the Assistant Secretary-General. Delegations are invited to press the microphone button to request the floor. Does any delegation wish to take the floor? I give the floor to the distinguished delegation of the State of Palestine.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On behalf of the State of Palestine, I wish to renew our deepest gratitude to the distinguished members of the Special Committee, Ambassador Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka, Chair of the Special Committee, and Vice-Chairs, Ambassador Mohamed of Malaysia and Ambassador Seck of Senegal. We thank them for their comprehensive report and the important recommendations made. Ambassadors, we recognize your efforts to uphold the Special Committee’s mandate at a time of ever-mounting challenges and a catastrophic human rights situation. in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, as Israel, the occupying power, has not only deepened its illegal colonial apartheid occupation, but become more inhumane, perpetrating a genocide against the Palestinian people in broad daylight. We deplore Israel's continued refusal to cooperate with the Special Committee, just as it refuses cooperation with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, the Independent International Commission denying them entry to the territories that Israel has occupied for over 58 years, territories in which we remind that Israel is not the sovereign and has no rights whatsoever. Likewise, it withholds entry visas from staff of UNRWA, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other UN staff, and has also withdrawn visas from NGOs, legislating illegal measures, treating them as hostile entities, and intimidating, discrediting, and punishing them simply for upholding their mandates in line with international law. This appalling situation cannot be normalized, and we reject the criticisms of those who may assail the Special Committee and its mandate, rather than assailing Israel's abhorrent occupation and criminal behavior, and rather than demanding that it abide by its Charter obligations, including to cooperate with the UN and its entities and experts on mission. In this regard, we welcome the authoritative findings of the International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion on Israel's obligations vis-à-vis the presence and activities of the UN and other international organizations and third states in the occupied Palestinian territory. The court affirmed that Israel is prohibited from taking such actions contrary to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN, and that it remains bound by all of its legal obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law, which the Court also unequivocally reaffirmed in its landmark advisory opinion of July 2024, which declared Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territory as unlawful, and that it must be rapidly brought to an end, as the General Assembly thereafter also demanded. Mr. Chair, I also wish to convey our thanks to Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ms. Ilse Brands-Karis, for presenting the Secretary-General's important reports. We appreciate the support of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for the Special Committee in discharging its mandate. We also recognize the important contributions of High Commissioner Turk and the entire UN human rights system, who have lent their expertise and voices to the global calls for an end to Israel's illegal policies and practices, for a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian aid in Gaza, and for an end to this illegal occupation in its entirety, and have tirelessly advocated for respect of the Palestinian people's human rights, including to self-determination, and also for accountability and justice. We continue appealing to all members of the international community to uphold their legal obligations in the face of the gross human rights violations, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide being committed by Israel against our people. We believe that the Special Committee's efforts, along with the rest of the UN system, remain crucial for ensuring factual awareness of the realities of this grave situation to counter the misinformation and propaganda that Israel continues to spread in order to properly inform the decisions and actions by governments and global citizenry to end this injustice. In this context, I wish to ask the Special Committee members to reflect more, if possible, on their mission to the region and the inputs and appeals they received from officials and civil society representatives they met with. I also wish to ask if the Special Committee members were able to meet with victims from Gaza or other parts of the occupied Palestinian territory during their field visit in Amman or via VTC, and if so, if you are able to share some reflections on those encounters with the Committee. Lastly, to both the Special Committee and ASG Karas, can you elaborate on the recommendations of the respective reports before the Committee, and specifically as regards accountability, including in respect of the relevant UN resolutions, ICJ advisory opinions, and the binding provisional measures orders indicated by the Court? What steps can be taken by States, individually and collectively, such as by the HATE group, to uphold their legal obligations and contribute to ensuring justice? I thank you, Mr. Chair, for giving me the floor, and our sincere thanks again to the Special Committee members and to Assistant Secretary-General Karas for their briefings today.

I thank the distinguished delegation of the State of Palestine. It does not appear that, as things stand, there are further requests for the floor. As such, I wish to give the floor back to the Assistant Secretary-General and to the distinguished Chair of the Special Committee to respond to the comments and questions that have been made.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and thank you for the comments and questions. Indeed, particularly now, when we are looking at the ceasefire, it is very clear that to advance, there has to be an end to impunity and accountability for what has taken place. truth, justice, and accountability, we know that there is no sustainable peace, obviously, and there will also, between Israelis and Palestinians, no internal reconciliation either. So it is an absolutely key issue and indeed part of the recommendations. There are serious violations both of international humanitarian law and international human rights law for the two years that we have been documenting and monitoring on all sides of the conflict, but prior to that also, so that we really think that the meaningful steps and concrete measures towards accountability must be a priority. It also means that the monitoring and reporting of human rights in supporting the current and future accountability mechanisms and processes is very important. That also is in order to deter violations. and to reduce the levels of impunity, but really making sure that there is compliance with applicable legal standards. And indeed, we have, of course, guidance also from ICJ in this regard. The High Commissioner for Human Rights has raised concerns about elements of the most serious crimes under international law in Gaza and has done so several times. So member states or states should consider all human rights compliant actions possible to ensure an end to the violations and also remedy to the violations. And that, of course, means multiple paths towards accountability in multiple institutions. Member States, of course, are bound by international law to respect and ensure the international humanitarian law as well. And many other legal instruments that are relevant here. So the actions by member states, including at the international level, and whether there are resolutions as well, and attention, awareness of the factual information that is documented to bring there, but also feeding this into support for the accountability that has to go through the judicial process of recognizing the violations and establishing remedies. Thank you.

Due to the restricted access and denial of access to certain areas, the committee was able to make a field mission to Amman, Jordan. And there in that mission, the committee was able to meet with government officials, refugees, UN agencies, including UNRWA, and human rights bodies and civil society organizations. So at the field mission to Jordan and Amman, the Committee was able to meet with these bodies and individuals in their fact-finding mission and the evidence-gathering process. And in relation to other experts, the Committee was able to link with them. online due to constraints, they were not able to make any other field visit. And it is through these visits, the interviews that we conducted, and the online discussions that we had with the experts that we were able to gather this information.

Thank you.

Thank the Assistant Secretary-General and the Chair of the Special Committee. Given that there are no further requests for the floor, I wish to once again thank the Assistant Secretary-General and the distinguished Chair of the Special Committee for their briefings and responses. We shall now begin our general debate agenda item 50. The list of speakers closed at 6 PM on Friday. Delegations are reminded of the time limits. They should limit their national statements to 10 minutes, and when speaking on behalf of a group, statements should not exceed 15 minutes. To make best possible use of our time, I encourage speakers to deliver abridged versions of their statements and to submit the full text to eStatements@un.org for posting in the UN Journal. I first give the floor to the distinguished representative of the State of Palestine.

Mr. Chair, I wish to reiterate gratitude to the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices for the reports presented to the fourth committee, as well as to the Assistant Secretary General for the Secretary General's reports. Mr. Chair, for over two years, the world has watched innocent Palestinian children, women, and men being massacred by the Israeli occupying forces. It has watched, knowing that the majority of victims were civilians, admitted to even by Israeli military officials, and that they have predominantly been women and children. 20,000 children have been killed by Israel in these past two years, and they are also among the majority of the 170,000 people wounded in Israeli attacks. It has watched as mothers and fathers were killed, leaving behind 39,000 children without one or both of their parents, an unprecedented orphan crisis and a widow crisis. It has watched as entire families were wiped out, as over 10,000 people remain unaccounted for, crushed to death under the rubble. The world watched as Israel also wantonly murdered hundreds of humanitarian workers, At last count, over 565 people, the majority UNRWA staff, the highest number in UN history. It watched as Israel systematically waged war on medical personnel, killing at least 1,722 of them as part of its intentional decimation of Gaza's health care system. This includes the killing of dozens of paramedics, including 15 medics of the Palestine Red Crescent, killed in a single attack. The world watched as Israel has killed at least 248 journalists in Gaza, more than any other conflict in modern times, and watched as millions of civilians have been violently, repeatedly displaced en masse, their homes and communities obliterated, No neighborhood, refugee camp, school, hospital, university, mosque, church, UN facility, cemetery, or landmark spared. Water, sanitation, electricity networks, and roads shredded. All civilian infrastructure turned to ruin as Israel bombed Gaza to make it unfit for human life. The world has watched the collective punishment and impoverishment of an entire people, watched as 2 million people were inhumanly blockaded, denied water, food, medicine, and all essentials of life. Young and old starved, left to be ravaged by malnutrition, famine, and disease. It watched as Israel weaponized starvation and implemented a nefarious plot to replace the international humanitarian system led by the UN and particularly the UNRWA lifeline for millions of refugees, with a dehumanizing militarized system of mercenaries, while UN staff and civil society were criminalized and expelled from the OPT. It watched as millions were left to shelter in UNRWA schools, hospitals, churches, tent cities, or so-called humanitarian safe zones, only to be bombed and massacred. And it watched as children froze to death in tents, watching now as a third winter is upon our displaced civilians, rain drowning their meager shelters, compounding already unbearable misery. The world has watched as thousands of Palestinians, especially men and boys, have been detained and disappeared into Israel's torture camps, abused and violated by every depraved means, including rape and gang rape, as Israeli officials and even parts of Israeli citizenry cheered on and demanded more. It watched as Israel returned Palestinians who died, were killed in captivity, some identifiable from the mutilation of their bodies, and watched as our people were buried in mass graves. The world has watched a settler terror gang's rampage through the West Bank, killing and injuring Palestinian civilians, stealing and destroying property, livestock, crops, committing arson in a terror campaign waged with the full backing and support of the Israeli army and government. And as extremist settlers attack our holy sites in Jerusalem, especially targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque. The world has watched as the entire apparatus of the occupation, government, military, and settler militias have pressed on with Israel's illegal settlement campaign of the Palestinian land. constructing and expanding settlements, demolishing Palestinian homes and properties, and driving Palestinian communities off their land at an unprecedented rate this past year, in addition to over 40,000 Palestine refugees driven from their homes in camps in the northern West Bank. The world has watched as Israel openly implements its annexation schemes even boasting of its supremacist plans for Greater Israel, its suffocation of the Palestinian state, and its plans to forcibly transfer Palestinians and to destroy the two-state solution. And yet, the international community has failed to protect the Palestinian people, failing to prevent a blatant campaign of not just ethnic cleansing, but of annihilation, systematic acts that countless independent experts Legal and genocide scholars, including many Jews around the world and also Israelis, as well as humanitarian, human rights organizations, the COI, and governments from around the world, have determined constitute genocide by Israel, the occupying power, against the Palestinian people. In this regard, we note that the Special Committee has likewise concluded in its present report, quote, "Given the developments during the reporting period, the Special Committee is ever more convinced that the world is witnessing genocide in Gaza," end quote. As stressed by Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese in her report entitled "From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide," quote, After denying Palestinian self-determination for decades, Israel is now imperiling the very existence of the Palestinian people in Palestine. The fact is that Israel's Nakba has never ended, and Israel has never stopped trying to displace and erase the Palestinian people and nation. Israeli officials in these past two years have exposed their genocidal intent in repugnant and shocking statements and even more repugnant behavior. Mr. Chair, since the reporting period, a long-awaited ceasefire has been reached. It has brought hope. Yet, since the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October following the mediation efforts of the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye, and with broad international support, Israel has committed hundreds of violations. We urge that all efforts be exerted to preserve and sustain the ceasefire, and to ensure the agreement is respected and implemented with a view to alleviating the suffering of the population, facilitate the recovery and reconstruction so desperately needed, and accelerating Israel's full withdrawal from Gaza. Moreover, we call again for the ceasefire to become permanent and to be extended beyond Gaza to the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, to protect human life and to prevent more Palestinian children, women, and men from falling victim to this illegal Israeli occupation. That is the first line of priority, ensuring survival. But so must the collective punishment of our people and the deprivation of our people and the forced transfer and ethnic cleansing of our people and the racial discrimination, persecution, and apartheid against our people and the colonization and annexation of our land. And this illegal occupation must end. It must be possible to want both an end to the genocide and the freedom. of the Palestinian people. It cannot be reduced to a false choice of either or. Wanting a ceasefire to save lives cannot mean abandoning the rule of law and rights. There must be justice, and the fundamental rights and dignity of every man, woman, and child must be respected. So with the ceasefire and recovery efforts, accountability, remains paramount, including follow-up of ICJ rulings, arms embargoes, sanctions for all the crimes Israel has committed.

I give the floor to the distinguished delegation of the State of Palestine. I now give the floor to the distinguished delegation of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Arab Group.

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, I thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wish to deliver the statement on behalf of the Member States of the League of Arab States. And first and foremost, I wish to reiterate my congratulations on your chairmanship of the Fourth Committee. We wish to thank the Secretariat. as well as the office for their efforts to ensure the success of our work. Mr. Chairman, the Arab Group condemns the adoption by the Knesset of legislation prohibiting UNRWA’s activities in occupied Palestinian territory. This demonstrates the ongoing Israeli approach of undermining the efforts of international organizations, preventing them from addressing the basic needs of the Palestinian people. We believe that the Israeli deliberate practices targeting humanitarian organizations, including UNRWA in particular, represent an obstacle to the achievement of a lasting, fair peace in the region and in the area. And we condemn in the strongest terms Israeli crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian people, particularly the use of illegal weapons in the Gaza Strip, as well as its deliberate targeting of children, of women, and of the elderly in air raids, as well as the land incursions, targeting schools, targeting hospitals, targeting religious sites, targeting infrastructure and obstructing the delivery of medical assistance, we call upon the international community to hold accountable the perpetrators of these crimes, crimes which represent an affront to international law. We reaffirm Palestine's full sovereignty over East Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Palestine. We reject attempts of Judaization of the city. And we view the measures that have been adopted against the city as no, void, and illegal under international law as well as United Nations resolutions. We demand that Israel immediately facilitate and allow for the delivery of foods, medicine, water, fuel to Gaza. and to allow this assistance, which saves lives, assistance which is necessary, and this is a responsibility of the international community as a whole. We are bearing witness to violations of the Geneva Conventions, inter alia. We caution against any attempts at transferring the Palestinian population from Gaza, attempts to transfer the crisis to neighboring states. We condemn in the strongest terms any attempts to to annihilate the Palestinian question. Mr. Chairman, while we welcome the ceasefire, ceasefire that was arrived at on the 9th of October last in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Arab group reiterates our support. for the efforts of Egypt, of Qatar, of Türkiye, as well as of the United States, at arriving at this historic agreement. The implementation of the agreement is now a collective responsibility. We reiterate the need and the responsibility which falls to Israel vis-à-vis its share of the commitments, and for Israel not to undermine international efforts which are geared towards entrenching the truce. In order to set the stage for implementation of the relevant resolutions under international law, Mr. Chairman, the Arab group was and remains a key source of support for peace, security, and stability in the Middle East. We reiterate the centrality of the Palestinian question. We reiterate our support for the sovereignty of the Palestinian people throughout all of Palestinian occupied territory occupied since 1967. We call for the building of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, guarantees for the rights of refugees on the basis of international law, that our peace initiative, and we reiterate the need for the international community to relaunch the peace process in order to meet the aspirations and the demands of the Palestinian people on the basis of the above-mentioned. We condemn the repeated incursions by Israeli settlers in Haram al-Sharif with the support and participation of the Israeli occupying forces. This represents an act which which desecrates the sacred sites of Islam, and it is a profanation of the religious sentiments of millions of people throughout the world. The Arab Group reaffirms our repudiation of all Israeli practices which are geared towards changing the historic situation and geographic situation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and division in terms of temporal or spatial ones. We reiterate the repeated aggressions targeting holy sites. exacerbate tensions and plunge us into an infinite cycle of violence. We condemn the settlement, repeated settlement activities, specifically annexation of territories, the construction and the expansion of settlements. as well as the demolition of Palestinian property in what constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter, international law, United Nations resolutions, specifically Resolution 2300/2013, as well as the advisory opinion of the ICJ dating 2024, the fourth Geneva Convention. The unilateral measures undertaken by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory undermine peace and stability in Palestine in particular, and throughout the entire Middle East. Mr. Chairman, the Arab Group condemns the Israeli violations of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic and the incursions into Syrian soil. This also represents an egregious violation of international law, as well as the disengagement agreement. We reiterate the fact that these Israeli practices, aggressive practices, represent a serious escalation. which heightens tensions and foment conflict in the region. We call upon the international community to react immediately and firmly to ensure respect for international law and to compel Israel to cease this aggression and to withdraw from Syrian territory where they are located. We recall that the Golan is Syrian Arab soil. We reject the decision of annexation by Israel and the decision to impose its sovereignty there. Furthermore, we condemn the daily violations by Israel of the sovereignty of Lebanon through air and land incursions taking place on a day-to-day basis, as well as the targeting of five sites in the south of Lebanon, as well as the buffer zone in Lebanon, in flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Lebanon and resolution 1701. This is a continuing violation of the declaration for cessation of hostilities south of Litani, and Israel is continuing to obstruct UNIFIL's movements and preventing them from reaching their border posts. The decision of the Arab group vis-à-vis the Palestinian question and the Palestinian people remains unchanged. This is a vital, just issue. In this regard, we recall our support for international resolutions, international law recalling the need to protect civilians during wartime. And We view Israel’s announcement related to its alleged sovereignty and competency in Golan as null and void. To conclude, we will continue to support the political and legal rights of the Palestinian people and of Palestine, and to ensure that they may enjoy freedom, dignity, and independence. We reiterate our unstinting support for UNRWA, as well as our call for the international community to act promptly to ensure the continuity of the work of the Agency and its role, namely the provision of services to Palestinian refugees. We recall our commitment to peace as the sole strategic way to guarantee peace and stability in the Arab region and beyond.

Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia speaking on behalf of the Arab Group. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has the honour of taking the floor on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations. Our Member States take note of all of the reports presented under this agenda item. Chair, already more than two years have elapsed since the last and most devastating spiral of violence, death, and destruction began that has devastated the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military operation has, according to official figures, claimed the lives of more than 68,500 Palestinians, including women and children. However, this figure is but the tip of the iceberg, a fraction of the real number of fatal victims. This is all the more serious when it is examined alongside the almost eight decades of illegal occupation, colonialism, collective punishment, and other serious crimes, including other cruel, inhumane, or degrading practices against the Palestinian people, practices that have claimed countless lives and devastated generation after generation. Since our last meeting a year ago to debate this agenda item, the humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip has but worsened. According to United Nations official records, the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, the removal and displacement of almost the entire population, as well as the persistent restrictions placed on humanitarian access, are now a prevailing reality. Despite the ceasefire agreement recently announced, starvation and famine have not let up. The increase in humanitarian aid that is so desperately needed has not materialized, and Palestinian civilians remain deprived of sufficient and dignified access to food and water and to all other things essential for life. We appeal for the absolute respect of the ceasefire reached in Gaza. This must extend to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. At the same time, we ask for this ceasefire to become permanent. Moreover, there is an urgent need to redouble international efforts to effectively and immediately move towards a crucial accountability process for the perpetration of crimes by Israel, the occupying power, against the Palestinian people. That process is crucial to put an end to the prevailing cycle of impunity, which has done none other but embolden Israel to see that its policies and practices that are criminal and against the Palestinian people stand the test of time, and to discourage them from their criminal activities. It's now time that there be accountability for these illegal policies and practices that have wrought huge and irreparable damage on the Palestinian people, millions of Palestinian civilians, including Palestinian refugees. This protracted, illegal Israeli occupation and the protracted tragedy inflicted upon the Palestinian people must end. The International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion of the 19th of July 2024 ruled that Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal. It ruled that its policies and practices, including settlements, are equivalent to annexation and systematic discrimination, and that they are violations of Article 3 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. It was ruled that Israel must put an end to its illegal presence as soon as possible. Consequently, the General Assembly adopted on 18 September 2024 by an overwhelming majority resolution ES-10/24 that demands that the Israeli illegal occupation end in a maximum of 12 months. That deadline has been surpassed and the illegal Israeli occupation continues unabated. Consequently, we demand that tangible measures be taken to guarantee both its end and the protection of the Palestinian people and the exercise of all efforts to help the Palestinian people to enjoy their inalienable rights, first and foremost, the right of return and self-determination. With that in mind, we also underscore the provisions of the advisory opinion of the ICJ dated 22nd of October 2025 that pertained to the legal obligations of Israel, the occupying power, regarding the presence and activities of the UN, as well as those of international organizations and third states. With regards to the OPT, the Court recalled that Israel's occupation was illegal, that Israel had no rights of sovereignty in the territory, including in East Jerusalem, that it has no right to prevent humanitarian aid from arriving to the Palestinian people, and that Israel is obliged to guarantee that the Palestinian people receive that aid and adequate basic services. However, Israel continues to fail on all fronts. it deliberately breaches its legal obligations without facing any consequences. We demand the end of their violations and that they comply with their obligations pursuant to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as the Charter and the Convention on Privileges and Immunities. Chair, what we have witnessed over the last two years is one of these crises now known as man-made. A crisis that, in any other context, would be condemned in the most resolute terms by the US government. Regrettably, they continue to choose to protect Israel, including through the exercise of their veto power in the Security Council that provides the occupying power with a license for impunity and has done for decades. Such action, or rather inaction, is a clear demonstration of a practice of double standards that should not have any place among the international community. There, universal laws must apply to all peoples, all countries, and all situations equally. We must act to defend the international order based on law, underpinned by the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. We cannot allow an arbitrary, rules-based order to prevail. We are all witness to the continued confiscation of land, housing, the demolition of housing, and the forced displacement of the civilian population of Palestine by Israel. These are illegal practices that form a comprehensive part of the continued and growing Israeli settlement policy, whose end goal is the colonization and annexation of Palestinian land. We must insist that there be full respect for international law in order to resolve the root causes of this current injustice. in spite of their illegal nature and in spite of the fact that the Security Council has demanded repeatedly the cessation of all Israeli settlement activity, including in resolution 2334 of 2016, and despite the fact the council has underscored that settlements are an obstacle to the achievement of a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace, this practice persists and has but stepped up in the last year. That, in turn, has emboldened the extremist Israeli settlements to intensify their acts of violence against the Palestinian people. Israeli settlement activities in occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, systematically violate the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people and of other Arab peoples in the occupied territories, and must end. This cruel policy cannot be seen in isolation from the broader pattern of systematic violations of human rights, also goes hand in hand with discriminatory policies which deny the Palestinian people equality in terms of accessing basic services, justice and freedom. We must put an end to this illegal settlement policy, both in the OPT, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan. We must also put an end to any practice and any action whose goal is to alter the legal, physical, or demographic status of these territories, or that aims to exercise jurisdiction or administration in them by force. This because these illegal policies are among the key driving forces fueling this protracted illegal occupation. Against this backdrop, we reiterate our grave concern at Israel's continued attempts as the occupying power to ignite tensions and see conflict explode in the Middle East. Illustrations of this fact include, inter alia, their repeated and grave violations of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, continued with their continued provocations of violations against the sovereignty and territorial integrity, stability, and security of countries in the region. These acts demonstrate Israel's intention to fanned the flames of tension on the ground. This to the detriment of the human rights of the Palestinian people and those of Arabs in other occupied territories in the region. We appeal for the immediate and complete cessation of all of these illegal policies and practices. We also reiterate our appeal for the total withdrawal of all Israeli occupation forces. The illegal occupation must end once and for all. Humanitarian access must be granted without impediment. The UN must continue to play its leading role in this regard, particularly through UNRWA, whose mandate must be protected and strengthened. Chair. It is incumbent upon all responsible members of the international community to take decisive action to put an end to all of these violations. They must also support the rights of the Palestinian people and work for a just and lasting peace which guarantees the security, freedom, and equality of all peoples in the region, creating an enabling environment for the resumption of the necessary political dialogue and to ensure that parties maintain credible and serious negotiations with the support of the international community, in line with international legal obligations and the relevant resolutions of the UN. is something that must occur. We reaffirm our commitment to step up our efforts, including our active participation in international initiatives, with a view to putting an end to the Israeli illegal occupation and with the aim of achieving the independence of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem, Al-Quds Al-Sharif, as its capital. We will work to achieve the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and freedom. And we will work to achieve a just, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the question of Palestine in all its aspects, including of the difficult situation of the Palestinian refugees and the realization of their right of return. This solution must be in accordance with international law. as well as the relevant resolutions of the UN and the UN Charter. It must be rooted in the two-state solution, and it must allow the independence of a sovereign Palestinian state, which is viable and which has East Jerusalem as its capital, and it must exist on the basis of 1967 borders. Lastly, we insist that the international community cannot continue to delay or fail for any longer in its responsibility to help the Palestinian people to make a reality their legitimate desire for peace, justice, freedom and security in their homeland. This is a right that all other peoples must enjoy. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the European Union, speaking on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The candidate countries Montenegro, Albania, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Andorra and San Marino, align themselves with this statement. The European Union welcomes the ongoing implementation of the first phase of the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict put forward by President Trump, as well as the outcome of the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit for Peace. It commends the diplomatic efforts led by the US and the role played by the regional mediators, which we have consistently supported. The European Union will continue to contribute to peace efforts and to actively engage with partners on the next steps. We call on all parties to fully commit to implementing all phases and to refrain from any actions that jeopardize the agreement. In this context, the EU recalls the High-Level Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution in New York, called by France and Saudi Arabia. They reiterate our commitment to international law and to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders and mutual recognition. Mr. Chair, the U.S. has consistently reiterated its strong opposition to Israel’s settlement policy and actions taken in this context in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. We will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, unless agreed by the parties. We urge the Israeli Government to reverse its decisions to further expand illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank. Settlements are illegal under international law and threaten the two-state solution. The EU reaffirms its commitment to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2334. We stress the importance of de-escalation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and call for an end to settler violence, including against Christian communities, the expansion of settlements, which are illegal under international law, and to Israel's military operation, as well as to terrorist attacks against Israel. We call on Israel to reverse the E1 settlement plan that further undermines the two-state solution. We also reiterate the special status and character of Jerusalem and its Old City, the inviolability of its sacred spaces, and the viability of its communities must be preserved and respected by all. The EU stresses the essential role of the UN and its agencies, including UNRWA, which provides crucial support to the civilian population in Gaza, the West Bank, and in the wider region, and condemns any attempts to abrogate the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA or to otherwise attempt to obstruct its capacity to operate its mandate. Additionally, we stress the need to preserve and respect the humanitarian space. In accordance with international humanitarian law, all parties to the conflict must protect civilians and ensure the safety and security of humanitarian personnel. Mr. Chair, the EU remains firmly committed to a lasting and sustainable peace based on the two-state solution. The European Union is ready to contribute to all efforts towards the solution and calls on all parties to refrain from any actions that undermine its viability. We will continue to support the Palestinian Authority, including in its ongoing reform and with agenda and with a view to its return to Gaza. To conclude, the European Union stresses that a credible pathway to Palestinian statehood is a crucial component to the two-state solution. I thank you.

I thank the representative of the European Union, Spikeman we have at the European Union and its member states, and I give the floor now to Egypt.

Mr. Chairman, Egypt aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Arab Group. We wish to take note of the report of the Special Committee on the Human Rights of Palestinian People and Other Arabs in the Occupied Territories. I wish to deliver this statement in our national capacity. First and foremost, we condemn – and this is a steadfast position – all Israeli occupation practices. We condemn the ongoing occupation by Israel of Palestinian territory since 1967, the ongoing settlement construction, the demolition of Palestinian housing, forced transfers of Palestinian people, as well as the persistent pressure on the work of the Palestinian Authority, and the ongoing incursions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as non-respect for the situation of the religious holy sites and the Hashemite Jordanian guardianship of these holy sites. We reject these practices. This is a steadfast part of our policy. We will not change our position. This is not a position based on circumstances. It is an immutable position, a criticism, condemnation of the occupation. Second, we wish to draw attention to the ongoing efforts that have been underway over the past two years to end the Israeli war against Gaza in cooperation and collaboration with our partners, namely the United States, Qatar, and Türkiye. These efforts were successful when Egypt hosted the Sharm el-Sheikh summit last October. We reaffirm that we shall continue our effort to ensure a just peace for the Palestinian people, peace in every respect. is not merely a ceasefire, but the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as capital. Egypt has undertaken the bulk of efforts in terms of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. We reaffirm the need to mobilize resources and efforts for a reconstruction operation, a broad-scale operation in the Gaza Strip to bring back hope for the residents of Gaza, to bring back their livelihoods, We intend to, during an international conference in conjunction with the State of Palestine and the United Nations, to mobilize resources and to give thought to ways to implement a Gaza reconstruction plan. We call upon all states and international organizations to participate in this conference. and abandoning the Gaza Strip, allowing the Gaza Strip to continue to experience a large-scale destruction would represent an abandonment of the Palestinian people and would be a renunciation of humanity itself. Fifth, Egypt reiterates our condemnation. We caution against ongoing colonial settlement activity in the Gaza Strip, in the West Bank, and in East Jerusalem, as well as the escalation of violence and crimes perpetrated by settlers and the ongoing violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque. These practices are resulting in conflagration and further waves of violence. These practices must immediately be brought to an end. There needs to be accountability for those perpetrating these crimes. Sixth, Egypt demands immediate Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Arab land in Syria and in Lebanon, and for the return to the 4 June 1967 borders. for an end to the use of force and aggressive policies to settle disputes with states in the region. Ongoing Israeli occupation is resulting in the main reason for instability in the region. Seventh, and for the picture not to be too bleak, we wish to draw attention to positive changes underway on the Palestinian question. We are bearing witness to a significant degree of international sympathy with the Palestinian question, a complete rejection at the international level of Israeli practices. We are bearing witness to a broad-ranging wave of recognition of the Palestinian rights. We are bearing witness to the prosecution of those perpetrating crimes in Israel. to ensure that these Palestinian people who remain strongly committed to their land, refusing to sever those ties, to believe in peace and security, accepting all peaceful initiatives to achieve this. To conclude, Egypt will continue to support our Palestinian brethren in exercising their inalienable rights, the achievement of an independent Palestinian state within the 4 June borders with East Jerusalem as capital. I wish to quote what was mentioned by President Sisi during the Sharm El-Sheikh conference: “If the people in the region enjoy all, if they all enjoy their right to an independent state, then the Palestinian state will not be an exception. They too have the right to self-determination.” the right to aspire to a future without the fog of war looming overhead to join an independent state." End of quote. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Egypt. And I now give the floor to Indonesia.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Indonesia would like to thank the Special Committee for its comprehensive report. Indonesia also expresses grave concern over the continued occupation and the violations of the rights of the Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory. A ceasefire in Gaza is a first step towards peace in the region. However, full implementation remains essential to protect civilians, enable unhindered humanitarian assistance, and create conditions for a durable and just peace. During this critical juncture, Indonesia would like to underline three pertinent actions. First, we must ensure a sustained ceasefire in Gaza as a path to scale up humanitarian assistance. It is paramount to lift the restrictions that impede aid delivery, reopen access routes, and ensure the safety of humanitarian personnel and UN agencies. In this regard, we welcome the advisory opinion of the ICJ on 22 October 2025 and call for its full and effective implementation. Second, we must end systemic injustices experienced by the Palestinians. Policies and practices that amount to annexation, including the transfer of administrative powers, the expansion and legalisation of outposts and land appropriation, must immediately be ceased. We urge for the restoration of Palestinian access to their land and resources, and upholding the ICJ's determinations as critical steps. Third, we must ensure accountability for violations, ending impunity and rejecting double standards. Concrete steps must be taken, including to enforce international legal obligations, to strengthen monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and to ensure that the ICJ's decision and international humanitarian and human rights law are applied consistently and without exception. Mr. Chair, the right to self-determination of the Palestinians and the statehood of Palestine must be continuously upheld. It is our collective task to restore justice, dignity, and hope for the Palestinian people and to safeguard the viability of the two-state solution in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions. Indonesia urges all Member States to act decisively and collectively to uphold international law and fulfill our shared responsibility towards the people of Palestine. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

Mr. Chairman, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia wishes to thank you for your skillful stewardship of the work of the Fourth Committee. We also wish to thank the Secretariat as well as the members of the Bureau for all of their efforts in order to carry out the work of the Fourth Committee. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reiterates our position and principle vis-à-vis the Palestinian question, which is central for the Arab and Muslim world. This is a just cause which is rooted in the principles of international law and international legality, international law. We reaffirm that the ongoing nature of Israeli occupation and the arbitrary practices, as well as the large-scale violations on occupied Palestinian land, including in Gaza, in the West Bank, and specifically in East Jerusalem. All of this constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, of international humanitarian law, as well as international legality. All of this undermines human rights of the Palestinian people. We condemn in the strongest terms the attacks targeting civilians, the ongoing military operations, as well as obstacles to the delivery of assistance, as well as the attacks targeting hospitals, targeting schools, targeting civilian infrastructure, broadly speaking. These practices have resulted in exacerbation of the crisis, the tragedy being endured by the Palestinian people. Therefore, there is a need to act at the international level in the most serious way. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns any action, action geared towards restricting the flow of humanitarian assistance or restricting the delivery of basic services, or action obstructing the efforts of various relevant organizations. We also repudiate the politicization of all issues related to civilians. Civilians need to receive the necessary assistance. This is an international commitment. which must not be undermined. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia rejects strongly any unilateral action which is geared towards imposing a new reality on the ground, be this through changing the historic reality or demographic identity of areas or holy sites. We call for respect for the legal status quo and the historical status quo related to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and we We reject the division of these sites or any action which undermines the culture and civilization of those sites. Moreover, we reject any desecration of Palestinian property or demolition of property. This is a threat to stability and security of the region, which makes it all more complicated to arrive at a political solution we welcome favorably. the overall plan to end the conflict in Gaza, and we call for facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance in an unimpeded way. We reiterate the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. This constitutes an inalienable right. The Palestinian people also have the right to build their future within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital on the basis of international law. The position of Saudi Arabia vis-à-vis the question of Palestine is immutable. This is rooted in our historical, moral, human commitment vis-à-vis a people enduring occupation for decades. This position is also related to international justice and human rights. We emphasize the fact that the protection of civilians and reducing the suffering of civilians and respect for international law is a collective responsibility for the whole of the international community. In this respect, we have an obligation to act in effective and respectful way. My country's delegation believes that the path to stability in the region begins with an end to the occupation and the establishment of an independent state on the basis of international law. We reiterate the fact that we stand ready to cooperate with regional partners and with international partners in order to make headway on a diplomatic path towards a just and lasting peace for the Palestinian people to have their rights restored, in order to end the violence, in order to arrive at regional and international stability. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My delegation is grateful for the presentation of the reports. These document the ever-quickening worsening of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and the devastating impact that the policies of settlement, annexation, and systematic violence continue to have on the daily lives of the Palestinian people. This debate is taking place at a gravely serious juncture. Events on the ground demonstrate that the expansion of settlements, in addition to the legislative decisions taken recently by the Knesset stand together as an unprecedented escalation. In between June and September alone this year, the construction of more than 20,800 housing settlement units was approved. These are the highest figures seen since 2012. Annexation, ladies and gentlemen, is not a future threat. It is a current reality. Resolution 2334 is unequivocal. Israeli settlements have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of international law. However, the report under consideration confirms that settlement activity is not only continuing, rather, it is picking up pace. Yet more serious still is the advancement of Project E1. Its implementation would make it impossible to ensure Palestinian territorial contiguity and would de facto bury the two-state solution. This project is being championed while international attention is focused on the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, and that fact is a direct challenge to the New York Declaration and to diplomatic efforts underway to achieve a lasting, sustainable political solution. The advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, dated the 19th of July, 2024, was equally clear. The Israeli policies in the West, in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem are equivalent to annexation, and they run counter to international law. The court recalled that all states have the obligation to not recognize, not support and not assist with the maintenance of these policies. Chair, beyond figures and resolutions, we must recall that what we're really talking about are human lives. Over the course of the last year, we have seen an alarming increase in settler violence, in many cases under the protection or with the coordination of Israeli security forces. What we're seeing is a systematic pattern of the excessive and lethal use of force against Palestinian civilians, including children. Severe restrictions on movement continue to strangle economic, social, and family life. The result is a regime of control, segregation, and forced displacement, incompatible with any notion of human dignity. We are also seeing the increasing criminalization of Palestinian civil society and the closure of human rights organizations that is further eroding an international framework for protection, which was already deeply fragile. The absence of accountability has allowed impunity to spread, and that has fueled new violations. Colombia today reiterates the need to clearly distinguish between Israel's internationally recognized territory and the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. This in full accordance with international law, the Security Council resolutions, and the advisory opinions of the ICJ. Let us also recall that any just and lasting solution must centrally address the right of return of the Palestinian refugees from 1948, in line with international law and the relevant resolutions of this Organization. Excellencies, let us not forget that all Member States of this Organization must refrain from helping to perpetuate the illegal situation created by occupation and de facto annexation. In compliance with these obligations, Colombia has adopted tangible measures, including commitments in the Hague Group to review all public contracts in order to prevent public resources or state institutions from supporting or facilitating the illegal occupation. we appeal to all states to adopt similar measures. Chair, settlement, de facto annexation, and systematic violence do not create safety for anyone. They fuel injustice, erode trust, and dim any prospect of peace and coexistence. The international community must act with moral and political clarity. Colombia reaffirms its commitment to a political solution based on international law, the two-state solution, and pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine. The political solution must be in accordance with the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. Let us not forget that peace in the Middle East will only be possible when the occupation ends. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished delegate of Colombia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Senegal.

Thank you, Mr. President. First and foremost, I wish to extend my gratitude to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka for the detailed briefing of the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, a committee of which Senegal has been a member alongside Sri Lanka and Malaysia. I also invite the General Assembly, as well as the Security Council, to be seized of the relevant recommendations which are contained in the report. For the past 76 years, Palestinians have been living under the yoke of the violent occupation, of deliberate destruction, arbitrary detentions, and myriad forms of deprivations of human rights, of the most basic human rights. Over the past 55 years, the Special Committee has been experiencing difficulty in delivering upon its mandate, given the fact that the Israeli government continues to deny access to the occupied territories, thereby preventing a exhaustive documentation of the nefarious consequences of its practices and policies. The various reports of the United Nations specialized entities, special coordinators, as well as civil societies converge on the following: Israeli policies and practices affect each aspect, every aspect of life in the occupied territories, be they historical, geographical, demographic, political, humanitarian, economic, or social. The situation in the occupied territories can be summarized in several ills. thousands of dead, millions of displaced persons, insecurity, large-scale devastation, children dropping out of school, famine, malnutrition, deprivation of care, annexation of land, and confiscation of properties and revenue. Put succinctly, denial of rights, denial of freedoms, denial of humanity. Mr. Chairman, Israel continues to sow chaos and despair in Gaza. Its deliberate attacks have now spilled over beyond Gaza into Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Qatar, and beyond, destabilizing the entire Middle East region, sparing neither civilians nor United Nations personnel or facilities. And this is why, whilst we denounce these practices, we call upon the international community to bring about an end to the occupation and all other illegal Israeli policies and practices in accordance with resolution ES10/24, which echoes the opinion of the International Court of Justice dating 19 July 2024, in accordance with the 22 October 2025 advisory opinion, Israel continues to violate international law by exploiting the Security Council’s paralysis, as it is unable to enforce resolutions, and there is a double standards practice, double standards of the international community. And this is a reflection of the moral material injustice to the Palestinian people. In this regard, we call for an independent international investigation to document all the crimes perpetrated in the Middle East, particularly against the Gazan populations and UN humanitarian personnel and personnel of other international organizations and journalists, in order to assure accountability for perpetrators and those who command, who deliver orders vis-à-vis the ICC. To conclude, we wish to invite member states to combat the unjust, illegal Israeli practices which generate chaos through a just, legitimate decision which generates hope that to recognize Israel, the sovereign state of Palestine, a sovereign state rebuilt within the 1967 borders, in a contiguous manner with East Jerusalem as the capital. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Senegal. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Oman.

Your Excellency, Chair, ladies and gentlemen, at the outset, we wish to align ourselves with the statement made by the Arab Group. And as we prepare to conclude our deliberations within this committee, we extend our thanks and appreciation to you, to members of the committee and the Bureau, for your laudable leadership and wish you every success in the duties remaining. We meet today amid unprecedented circumstances plaguing Palestinian civilians on occupied Palestinian territories. in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as well as the people, the Lebanese and Syrian peoples, due to the criminal Israeli practices against the region. We take note of Secretary General report A/80/399, which documents ongoing violations perpetrated against the Palestinian people under occupation. The information within the report reflect an unprecedented exacerbation of settlement activities and violations perpetrated against innocent Palestinian civilians on a daily basis. We have followed closely the ongoing intensification of settlement activities and occupation, as well as the annexation of further Palestinian territories under various namings, in addition to constant forced displacement, demolition, and attacks against farmers, property, and civilians alike. In this regard, we strongly condemn the two bills passed by the Knesset to impose a so-called Israeli sovereignty on the West Bank and the establishment of Israeli settlements on its territory in a blatant violation of Resolution 2334 aimed at changing the status and demographic composition of the occupied Palestinian territory, occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. We reiterate the advisory opinion issued by the ICJ, which reiterated the illegality of Israeli practices in addition to the annexation of of territory in the occupied West Bank, stressing that there can be no sovereignty over these territories by Israel. We've also followed the continuous exacerbation of attacks, in addition to raids against the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and attempts to change the historic and legal status of holy sites, in addition to systematic raids and evacuation of people in Jerusalem. This once again reflects attacks against the human dignity of the Palestinian people. We reiterate our steadfast position on Arab territories under continuous Israeli occupation, especially the Syrian-occupied Golan, as well as parts of Lebanon, which are still under occupation. We reiterate that any attempt by Israel to impose laws and administration over these territories constitutes a blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. These are null and void practices that are devoid of any legal effect and contravene resolutions by the United Nations. The Sultanate of Oman stresses that such practices are a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, especially the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as resolutions of the GA and the Security Council, which stress the illegality of settlement expansion and the need for their cessation. Mr. Chair, we commend the efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of France and their leaderships to ensure the implementation of the two-state solution as the only framework that can lead to just and lasting peace. We welcome regional and international efforts made to consolidate the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and alleviate the humanitarian suffering plaguing civilians, to ensure access to humanitarian assistance and build an environment conducive to reconstruction and an end of forced displacement in line with international legitimacy resolutions to pave the way for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem, Al-Quds, as its capital. Mr. Chair, It is high time to end occupation, to alleviate suffering, to serve justice, and to allow the Palestinian people to recover its legitimate rights through the implementation of the two-state solution as the only means to achieve just and lasting peace and end decades of conflict. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Oman. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Yemen.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At the outset, we align ourselves with the statement made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Arab Group. We reiterate our appreciation to the work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices. affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories for the efforts made to prepare the valuable reports considered under this agenda item. We express our utmost concern vis-à-vis the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip due to the wide-scale ground and aerial incursions and bombardment by the occupying power, which left unprecedented and devastating impact at all levels. Neighborhoods were destroyed, houses were raised above the heads of their residents, hospitals, clinics, schools, and electricity and water infrastructure have been destroyed, leading to a semi-total collapse of infrastructure. This has compelled thousands of Palestinian households. to leave their homes amid lack of shelters as well as basic services. This has contributed to the deterioration of the humanitarian suffering, especially amongst women, children, and the elderly. Many Palestinian civilians have been arrested and detained in inhumane and cruel circumstances, which contravene the basic rules of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, providing for the protection of civilians under armed conflict. We categorically reject the forced displacement of the Palestinian people under any description, as this is a blatant violation of international law, a crime against humanity, and form of ethnic cleansing. We categorically condemn the scorched earth policies adopted by the Israeli entity, in addition to the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, military raids conducted in Palestinian cities, and a blatant violation of the inviolability of holy sites and continuous settlement expansion, including in the West Bank. We reiterate the need for the occupying power to commit to international legitimacy resolutions, which reject any attempt to change the demographic composition of Palestinian territories. We warn against any attempt to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and export the crisis to neighboring countries. We reject any attempt to liquidate the Palestinian question through forcible displacement of the Palestinian people, be it within occupied territories or to neighboring countries. We condemn the dangerous Israeli escalation on Lebanese territories and the Syrian-occupied Golan in a blatant violation of international legitimacy and international humanitarian law. Mr. Chair, we reiterate the vital role and irreplaceable role of the United Nations Relief and Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East. And we stress the importance of ensuring that it fulfills its mandate and the five areas of operation. We call upon the international community and peace-loving states to provide financial and political support to the UNRWA to ensure that it is capable of implementing its mandate. And we reject any attempt to curtail the implementation of its mandate. and any attempt to reduce that or cancel that mandate to liquidate the question of Palestinian refugees and their right to return. We reiterate our steadfast support to the right to self-determination and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of the independent and sovereign state along the 1967 of June borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative. Mr. Chair, the Yemeni the Republic of Yemen stresses that the ongoing occupation of the Syrian Golan since 1967 constitutes a threat to peace and security in the region and the entire world. We reiterate our commitment to international legitimacy, including relevant GA resolutions, which provide for the applicability of the Geneva Convention of 1949 on the protection of civilians in times of war on the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan. We consider that support to the recovery by the Syrian Republic of its rights over the occupied Syrian Golan. We reiterate our condemnation of the breaches of the sovereignty of the Republic of Lebanon through ground and aerial breaches, in addition to the ongoing occupation of outposts in the south, as well as the imposing of the buffer zone and its establishment on Lebanese territory. These practices constitute a blatant violation of Secretary Council Resolution 1701, as well as the ceasefire. This in turn curtails the return of civilians to their homes, as well as the freedom of movement for the UNIFIL, thereby preventing UNIFIL forces from returning to their border outposts. We reiterate the importance of ensuring the consolidation of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as a humanitarian necessity to stem the bloodshed and protect civilians. This is a sine qua non to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance. We stress that the consolidation of the ceasefire is a necessary step to resume political efforts in line with international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative to ensure the end of occupation and the establishment and upholding of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian I thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Yemen. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Israel.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in one of the most iconic scenes in modern cinema, the character of Morpheus reveals to Neo: “You’ve been living in a dream world, Neo. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. The prison for your mind.” My fellow representatives, this report of the so-called Special Committee is a perfect example of one of the many instruments created using UN mechanisms to blind you. It is a part of an elaborate system of agencies, reporters, committees, and resolutions, all entangled with one another, a matrix, if you will, designed to create a facade and make you see what they want you to see. Let me take you for the rabbit hole. One would imagine that the UN committee would be a professional body of experts, objective, unbiased, and neutral. Yet, even the committee's own mandate states that it is meant to investigate Israeli policies and Israeli policies only. This bias is clearly reflected in this report, in which Palestinians, Syrians, Lebanese appear to live in a perfect world, free of Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, or even the Assad regime. In fact, Hamas is mentioned only twice, and only in reference to statements made by Israel and the United States. Hezbollah, an internationally designated terror group, is not mentioned at all. Amazingly, you have to turn to the reference section to learn that when the committee speaks of hundreds of civilians that were killed or injured across Lebanon by Israeli terror attacks, it actually whitewashes the precision targeting of Hezbollah operatives. Hezbollah, one of the most heinous and murderous terror groups the world has ever known. This distortion of reality is no accident. It is a standard practice for this committee and other parallel UN mechanisms, whether in New York, Geneva, beginning with the deliberate election of their members, who are already known for their biased pro-Palestinian views and their clear hostility toward my country. In our case, two of the current members also hold senior positions in the UN Committee on Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. They are placed in positions that enable them to cross-reference their so-called findings with their counterparts who share the same views, so they can share support for each other, whether if it's Francesca Albanese, the special reporter for the OPT, who has just justified Hamas, or the COI on Israel, with its unique never-ending mandate co-chaired by Milon Kottari, who spoke of the so-called Jewish lobby controlling the media. UN bodies so obsessed with vilifying my country that they overstepped all boundaries. They are the supporting cast and co-producers behind this committee's preordained conclusions. And what do you know? Who did the committee consult with? With UNRWA, which I will discuss shortly, with the ICHR, a Palestinian platform who just last month was exposed for having connections with Hamas and terror groups by a Danish newspaper, and of course, with the COI and Special Rapporteur Albaneza, which I have just mentioned. appointed themselves prosecutor, judge, and jury without any legal mandate. Mr. Chair, the same rule applied to the source of the information. This mechanism operates by selective gathering of information that fits its narrative, disregarding impartiality or critical assessment of sources. Information that supports the narrative is accepted uncritically, while anything that contradicts it, ignored or dismissed. Such conduct would be expected of an advocacy group or propaganda outlet. but should not be accepted by a body of an organization that's supposed to stand for impartiality. A brief review of the report reveals the absurd selection of information the committee relies upon. It treats Hamas' Ministry of Health as a credible source, The same terror group responsible for the atrocities of October 7, the same one that throughout the war reported casualty figures down to the individual, but amazingly never counts the number of terrorists killed. The same ministry that its hospitals were used to harbor terrorists and hide hostages of the same organization that following the ceasefire claimed it was unable to find the bodies of the very hostages it abducted. And that just recently, in a move that surpassed any level of decency, recovered the hostage body it was keeping, and then buried it again in order to stage its so-called discovery, while inviting the ICRC to be used as a prop in its show. The same organization that in the past months have been executing its own people in the middle of Gaza streets by shooting them in their heads, filming it for the world to see. At the same time, the committee rejects information that contradicts its agenda. It cites Israeli voices when they align with their agenda, but when presented with verified evidence that doesn't, as in the case of the reports on UNRWA, that proves the deep infiltration of Hamas into the agency, then the committee dismisses it as a smear campaign. Mr. Chair, dear colleagues, I have here with me the copies of the report on Hamas infiltration to UNRWA that the committee dismissed. It includes visuals, personal IDs, and even Hamas own documentation. I invite you to examine it, examine it yourself, and draw your own conclusions. Mr. Chair, the committee's conclusion summarize exactly what it was created to do: to vilify and attack Israel, to degenerate the meaning of the word Zionism, thus legitimizing the disguise of genocidal chance against Jews. Ironically, exactly 50 years after the shameful Zionism racism resolution that was passed in this building and was later annulled. The committee refers to the creation of Israel in 1948 as a failure of the world and seek to discreate the Jewish connection to its homeland. Mr. Chair, it is about time this institution review its own actions. The UN has been repeatedly abused in the name of the Palestinian cause, serving every political agendas rather than pursuit of peace. the same reason for which it was created. Mr. Chair, there are more resolutions, committees, COI, and reporters on the Palestinian than anyone else on earth. They are the only ones who have their own division and department promoting their political narrative, paid for by the UN, their own refugee agency. They are the only ones to have their own item on the UN agency. This organization spends more money on their political narrative than the GDP of some of the countries sitting in this very room, on your expense. In a year in which this institution speaks of financial reforms and cutting costs, it should ask itself what gains has it seen from all of its wasted funds. The truth is that none of those mechanisms was ever intended to bring peace between our people, or even help Palestinians. If the States in those halls wish to bring real change, they must face these realities, dismantle those mechanisms, and engage in a genuine, honest discussion that recognizes both our rights as well as the realities on the ground. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Israel. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Turkey.

Thank you, Chair. We thank the briefers for their comprehensive briefings. Regrettably, as the Fourth Committee convenes once again to consider Israeli practices and settlement activities in the occupied territories, these unlawful policies and the occupation persist. As underscored in the Assistant Secretary-General’s remarks, Israel’s grave breaches of international law, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law are well documented. Mr. Chair, Following two years of brutal war in Gaza, marked by immense human suffering, we welcome the establishment of a ceasefire and call for its full implementation. While we remain focused on supporting the ceasefire and scaling up our response in Gaza, the alarming situation in the occupied West Bank demands urgent attention. The past two years constitute one of the most violent periods in the West Bank. Since 7 October 2023, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces. Settler attacks have intensified on a daily basis, and the occupation has deepened further. Türkiye strongly condemns the continuing expansion of illegal settlements, extremist settler violence, as well as actions violating the historical status of Al-Haram al-Sharif. We also condemn the recent step taken by the Israeli Parliament toward the annexation of the occupied West Bank and the attack perpetrated last Thursday by Israeli settlers against a mosque in the northern West Bank. The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, is the territory of the State of Palestine. Türkiye will not recognize any changes to pre-1967 borders. Mr. Chair, The body of international law applicable to the occupied territories impose clear obligations on the occupying power, including the protection of civilian population and the prohibition of any measures that alter the character, demographic composition, or legal status of the occupied territory. The draft resolutions under this agenda item highlight the findings of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices and those of other UN mechanisms, which continue to document serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by Israel. These include excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, destruction of civilian property, severe movement restrictions, settler violence, and discriminatory practices affecting the protected population. In this regard, Turkey welcomes the advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice on 22nd October concerning Israel's obligations in the occupied Palestinian territory. The court's advisory opinion clearly demonstrates Israel's continuous crimes against the Palestinian people, as well as its obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian aid and its targeting of UN facilities and personnel. The Court's legal opinion further confirms that the Israeli government's attempts to undermine the mandates, activities, and presence of UN and UNRWA in the occupied territories are unlawful. We also recall the Court's 2004 advisory opinion on the wall and the 2024 advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territory, both of which remain authoritative. We call on Israel to fulfill its obligation under international law, including the Security Council Resolutions 497 and 2334. Mr. Chair, upholding the UN Charter, the Geneva Conventions, and the decisions of the principal judicial organ of the United Nations is essential to preserving the credibility of multilateralism and ensuring the protection of civilians under occupation. The occupation and ongoing settlement activities in the West Bank are not only illegal, but undermine the prospects for peace. These acts are a direct consequence of the impunity Israel has been afforded for decades. The international community must take a strong stance against Israel's unlawful policies. Therefore, in concluding, we call for an end to all practices that violate international law, international humanitarian law, and human rights law. including the occupation in all Arab territories, all illegal settlement activities, and all unlawful legislative and administrative measures. Accountability must be ensured for all crimes perpetrated in the occupied Arab territories, without exception and without delay. I thank you.

I

thank the distinguished representative of Türkiye. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Jordan.

Chair, we are meeting at an important moment in terms of the situation in the OPT. Following the agreement that put an end to the destructive Israeli war against Gaza that claimed the lives of 70,000 people and targeted journalists, humanitarians, UN personnel, and destroyed infrastructure. In this context, allow me to draw your attention to four essential points. First of all, we in Jordan welcome the Gaza agreement that was signed during the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, and we thank the American President for his decisive role, as well as our brothers in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for their support. We reiterate the need to respect the ceasefire in Gaza and to implement all of its points fully, and to allow the delivery of timely and at scale humanitarian aid into Gaza. Stability efforts must be linked to a horizon which will guarantee a just and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution. Finally, it's important to deal with the effects of the aggression, Jordan is willing to continue to play its humanitarian role from the very moment that the Israeli illegal obstacles lift. We reiterate the crucial role played by UNRWA, and we commend the ICJ opinion on the protection of privileges and immunities of UN personnel and the protection of UN premises. We welcome the holding of the conference on early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza. We call for the mobilization of efforts for the effective implementation of the Arab and Islamic Reconstruction Plan to mitigate the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people. Thirdly, Jordan condemns the legislation bills that have aimed to impose Israeli sovereignty on the West Bank, as well as to continue with practices such as the seizure and confiscation of land, and the settler terrorism. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has custodianship over the holy sites of Islam and Christianity in Jerusalem. As such, we recall our role here. We are drawing inspiration from the advisory opinion of the ICJ, recalling that the annexation of Palestinian territory is illegal. Fourth, peace is necessary for the stability and development of the peoples. This is a strategic choice made by the Arab countries and involves the ends of the Israeli occupation of Arab territories and heeding the aspirations of the Palestinian people for freedom and independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital in the borders of the 4th of June 1967. 267 on the basis of the two-state solution. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Chair. This Committee was established on the conviction that international order depends on the dignity of peoples and the protection of their inalienable rights. Yet, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and the occupied Syrian Golan is a testament of how far we still remain from delivering on that commitment. More than half a century, and the peoples continue to live without the protections others may take for granted. Israel continues to violate these fundamental principles blatantly and systematically. Decades-long occupation of Palestinian territory is the most relentless violation by Israel in this modern era. Security Council Resolution 2334 of 2016, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and the UN Charter itself set out clear parameters. Israel, as a member state of this organization, bears obligations that are neither ambiguous nor discretionary. A rules-based system demands uniform adherence to its principles. And when it's undermined, it is not only the rights of Palestinians that are eroded, but the credibility of the multilateral system we all rely on for stability and control. The legal status of the settlements has long been established. They breach the norms of international law. The policies of Israel continue to undermine the basic protections owed to civilians living under the occupation. Excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, settlement expansion, and land appropriation has rendered the prospect of a viable Palestinian state increasingly remote. These actions create not a path to peace, but structural barriers to its realization. The Maldives reaffirms its consistent position that a just settlement must rely on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent state of Palestine. Policies that confiscate land, impede reconstruction or fragment territory do not only deviate from that goal. They are intentional barriers preventing access. Peace cannot be pursued rhetorically while its foundations are simultaneously dismantled. UNCTAD's recent assessment provides crucial insight. It determined that the expansion of Israeli settlements and control over Area C inflict quantifiable harm to Palestinian welfare. It renders achieving a sovereign and economically viable Palestinian state increasingly unattainable. These developments indicate a deeper structural problem. International law continues to be acknowledged in form, yet, in reality, its limitations have diminished to the point of practical irrelevance. The occupation has entered a zone where the normative architecture remains a constant, but the enforcement mechanism has failed. It is this divergence between formal obligations and actual practice that now poses the greatest obstacle to a negotiated peace. Proceedings before the ICJ and the ICC serve as a reminder that accountability is not a discretionary add-on to politics. It is integral to the credibility of the system we have constructed. As the world's highest judicial body raises grave concerns regarding the protection of civilians, this Assembly must not remain a passive witness. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is catastrophic. It demands urgent and sustained action, a stable ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, the release of all civilian hostages, and a halt to settlement activity. Security built on the prolonged subordination of another people lacks both stability and legitimacy. Occupation is not a pathway to peace; it represents the fundamental block to progress. The Maldives therefore calls for an end to the occupation of all Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Syrian Golan. and in the occupation will restore the minimum legal coherence required for achieving effective diplomacy. Our responsibility as an Assembly is not merely to express concern, but to honor the principles that preserve the legitimacy of this institution: legality, dignity, and the equal worth of all human beings. The Maldives reaffirms its unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their inalienable right to self-determination. No occupation is long enough to wipe out a people’s right to self-determination. Let us ensure that rights are honoured and hope remains sustained for the olive trees to grow back once again from their roots. I thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My delegation extends its support for the statement delivered by the representative of the Fraternal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Arab Group. Mr. Chairman, The delegation of Iraq condemns in the strongest terms the ongoing nature of the Israeli occupying powers, its grave and systematic violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in occupied Palestinian territories, specifically in East Jerusalem. The military operations, barbaric military operations, which are being carried out by the entity targeting the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, have resulted in tens of millions of civilians becoming martyrs, most of women and children. This has resulted in demolition of homes, hospitals, schools, religious sites, United Nations facilities, and egregious violation of the Geneva Conventions and IHL. Furthermore, Israeli use of starvation as a weapon of war against civilians. Its obstructions to the delivery of humanitarian assistance represents a war crime and crimes against humanity under international law. Iraq supports the conclusions of the United Nations, specifically that the practices of the entity in Gaza are tantamount to the reflected the characteristics of genocide in the light of the conditions deliberately imposed upon civilians. Mr. Chairman, the settlement policies, annexation being carried out by the Israeli entity in the West Bank, the forced transfers of individuals, providing weapons to settlers for them to carry out violent attacks against Palestinian civilians represent egregious violations of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, including 242 and 338. Furthermore, we condemn forcefully the recurrent violations of the entity on Lebanese soil, including the targeting of populated areas as well as civilian infrastructure, the use of illegal weapons under international law. This is a grave violation of international law and the Charter. We reiterate the key role played by UNRWA, as well as the need to deliver to UNRWA financial and political support, to reject any attempt to undermine its mandate or target the body. This is a means of livelihood for millions of Palestinian refugees, as well as the key basis for protection of law. We reiterate our steadfast position in support of the Palestinian and the full support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, right to self-determination, the establishment of an independent, sovereign state with Jerusalem as capital, and including the guarantee of the right to return for refugees, as well as reparations as stipulated under international law. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Chair. Chair, we align ourselves with the statement made by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations. The Palestinian cause is not only an unresolved political issue, it is decisive proof and a decisive test indeed of the credibility of the multilateral system and of the UN's capacity to defend the purposes and principles for which it was founded 80 years ago. The Palestinian people has been subjected to the most horrendous crimes. Israel has not only cruelly dug its heels in impeding the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, it has also been responsible for the extermination, ethnic cleansing, collective punishment and the apartheid that has been suffered by these noble people, and indeed that they continue to suffer. In the Gaza Strip alone, we have recorded more than 68 deaths and many have been wounded as a result of the Israeli occupation. The majority of these victims are women and children. Israel's scorn for the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, as well as of international law and international humanitarian law, seems to have no limits. There is an attempt being made to exterminate the Palestinian population by depriving it of water, electricity, food, medicines, and fuel. After two years of brutal genocide, recently, A fragile peace agreement has been reached too late. The international community has embraced it with a hope that the barbarism will end. We must maintain our demands for a permanent ceasefire, whose ultimate guarantee will be the adoption of concrete and comprehensive measures that will make it possible to achieve a just and lasting peace. Chair, the fundamental premise to achieve the independence of the Palestinian state and the end of Israel's occupation must be the respect for the self-determination of peoples and the sovereign equality of states. These are principles that Israel insists on ignoring. The historic complicity of the United States and their limitless political, diplomatic, military, and financial support have guaranteed the impunity of the occupying power for decades, and that is an affront to the Palestinian people. It is not possible to achieve peace in the Middle East without a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian question. We reaffirm the unalienable right of the Palestinian people to have an independent, sovereign state on the basis of the two-state solution within pre- 1967, borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the right of return of refugees must be guaranteed. There is an urgent need for the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces. All illegal policies and practices that seek to establish settlements on the Palestinian territory, including the apartheid system, must end. We must increase our efforts and take resolute action to come up with an effective, urgent response to the critical humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories and put an end to the massacres underway being perpetrated against this noble people. The Palestinian people are being stripped of their most basic rights, including the most fundamental right, and that is the right to life. Israel must allow the access of humanitarian aid at scale without any conditions or limits, and must authorize the essential work done by UNRWA. We underscore that any recovery and reconstruction plan must aim to heed the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and guarantee their right of return as well as their right to self-determination. There is an urgent need to admit Palestine as a full-fledged member state of the United Nations. If the Security Council remains impotent, before the privilege of the use of the veto, and if that continues to hamper that aspiration, the General Assembly, as the most representative body of the international community, must take a decision, an unequivocal decision in this regard. After decades of occupation, Israel continues to breach the Security Council resolution which calls for their withdrawal of the Syrian Golan. At the same time, they ignore Resolution 2497 of the Security Council adopted in 1981. Cuba once again reaffirms that any measures or actions that the Israeli government conducts in the current status, or that it has conducted with an aim to amend the legal or demographic status of the occupied Syrian Golan, including all measures to exercise their jurisdiction or administration over this territory, are violations of law and have no legal effect. Moreover, we reaffirm that all of these measures and actions, including the construction and illegal expansion of Israeli settlements in the Syrian Golan since 1967 constitute violations of international law, international agreements, in particular of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the United Nations Charter, and UN resolutions, including Resolution 497 of 1981 issued by the Security Council. And this is an act of clear defiance of the international community. Cuba will continue to advocate for the total and unconditional withdrawal of Israel from the Syrian Golan and from all occupied Arab territories, we urge that there be the maintenance of a constructive, respectful dialogue between the peoples of the region. It's time for UN resolutions to be upheld to put an end to Israel's barbarism. Chair, humankind cannot repay its debt to the Palestinians. They're walking along their path to justice and peace, and as they do so, we reiterate that Cuba stands in solidarity with them in their right, just cause. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sri Lanka.

Mr. Chair, I thank you for giving me the floor. The suffering of the Palestinian people and of other Arabs stands as one of the gravest humanitarian tragedies of our time. It is a crisis that demands not just our sympathy, but a test of our collective conscience. For decades, Palestinians have been stripped of their right to life in their own homeland. Today, the situation has reached an unspeakable scale. What we are witnessing in Gaza is not the collateral damage of conflict, but the collapse of humanity itself. Following the mayhem we witnessed for the last two years, today the people in Gaza can have some breathing space due to the agreement reached on the initial phase of the ceasefire in Gaza on 10th October, following extensive efforts led by the United States of America, assisted and mediated by the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Turkey, along with many other countries. While highlighting the importance of enduring peace in Gaza, as a nation that suffered from conflict for over three decades, we urge all parties concerned to hold on to this initial phase of ceasefire to restore peace and stability in Gaza. Mr. Chair, Sri Lanka has continued to express its grave concern at the continuing violence in the Middle East and the ceaseless attacks against civilians in Gaza. The immense loss of civilian life, the destruction and suffering caused over the past few years is unacceptable and unjustifiable. Such horrendous attacks should never happen. As stated by His Excellency, the President of Sri Lanka, in his statement to the General Assembly, Gaza has been turned into an open prison full of pain and suffering. The time has come for the international community move beyond being a mere spectator and to act decisively to end the suffering of millions. Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed. Thousands of women and children have been killed, and thousands more still lie beneath the ruins. Civilian infrastructure, homes, schools, hospitals, and shelters has been reduced to rubble. More than two-thirds of Gaza's infrastructure has been destroyed. Aid convoys have been attacked. Humanitarian workers, journalists, and medical personnel have been killed in the line of duty. Even during the hard-earned ceasefire, violence continues. Hunger, disease, and fear have become daily realities. Mr. Chair, the violence has not been confined to Gaza. Across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, settler attacks, mass arrests, and demolitions have reached levels never seen. Settlements continue to expand across occupied territory. in defiance of international law, Security Council resolutions, and the repeated calls of the international community. Recent months have also seen an alarming rise in settler and military violence across the West Bank, with thousands of incidents reported and new settlement plans advancing at a record pace. New legislation and policies have sought to expand control over the West Bank and East Jerusalem. We also recall in this regard the recent advisory opinions delivered by the International Court of Justice. Mr. Chair, humanitarian access remains severely restricted, with United Nations officials warning that aid delivery and reconstruction efforts continue to face systematic obstruction. We have also witnessed the dangerous weaponization of technology. It is reported that artificial intelligence and advanced surveillance tools have been used to target civilians. Such practices raise deep ethical questions and set dangerous precedents. We reiterate our call for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and strict adherence to it, the release of hostages and detainees on both sides, and the uninterrupted humanitarian access for the people who are dying of hunger in Gaza. It is absolutely necessary that UNRWA is able to continue its mandated and essential humanitarian work in the occupied Palestinian territories without any obstacles. Mr. Chair, we reiterate our commitment to a just, lasting, comprehensive, and peaceful solution to the question of Palestine and call for renewed efforts to restore political dialogue and meaningful negotiations toward a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. We reiterate our support for Palestinians' full membership in the United Nations. We welcome the growing recognition of the State of Palestine by Member States around the world, and the adoption of the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine in September this year. Each new act of recognition brings the world one step closer to the realization of a just and lasting peace. Mr. Chair, history will not only judge us by resolutions we adopt, but by the lives we save too. We need to be honest with ourselves. The world has failed the Palestinian people too many times. We cannot allow it to happen again. The cost of inaction is not only borne by Palestinians, it is borne by all who uphold the rule of law, human rights, and the very purpose of the United Nations. Let us be guided by the simple truth that peace cannot be achieved by violence and oppression. Lasting peace will emerge only when justice is restored, when the Palestinian people can live in equality and freedom among the nations of the world. I thank you.

I.

Thank the distinguished representative of Sri Lanka. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of South Africa.

Chairperson, we thank you for convening this annual meeting of the Fourth Committee meeting to discuss Israel practices and the settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs in the occupied territory. We thank the SG for his report on this agenda. South Africa wish to reiterate its full support for the work of the Special Committee. South Africa wish to reiterate its full support for the work of the Special Committee to investigate Israel practices affecting human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs in the occupied territory. In 1968, when the United Nations adopted Resolution 2443 on the respect for the implementation of human rights in the occupied territory, there was expectation that the Government of Israel will receive the Special Committee, cooperate with it, and facilitate its work. Since then, we meet every year in this Committee to consider the report of the Special Committee. Each year, we presented with a grim picture of the prevailing condition in the occupied territory and the Arab countries. Since establishment, the Special Committee has been repeatedly denied cooperation by the Government of Israel to access to the occupied Palestinian territory. Once again, this year, we are presented with yet another report with a worse transgression against the people of Palestine. Chairperson, the report of Special Committee once again shows that the illegal Israeli practices related to military, socio-economic, and humanitarian disaster in the occupied Palestinian and other Arab territory constitute a degenerate characterized by escalating conflict, economic collapse, and severe humanitarian crisis in both Gaza and the West Bank. Chairperson, despite these challenges, we welcome the ceasefire and call for its continued implementation to allow for the unimpeded delivery of aid, including water, medicine, hygiene, supplies to save lives in Gaza. We also reiterate our support for realization of the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, ending of brutal atrocities and stopping the killing of the Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory, practicing around annexation and prolonged denial of the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination. Clearly, this requires concrete action. to stop Israel's systematic destruction of the Palestinians' aspiration for independence. In this regard, all states must review their relations with Israel to ensure that they are not contributing to sustaining the occupation or the system of apartheid. In this respect, South Africa further echoes the call of the Hague Group at its emergency meeting held in July 2025 to move beyond words to collective action grounded in international law, utilize the established legal mechanism to enforce accountability and compliance with international law with the respect of Israel continued occupation of Palestinian territory. Israel occupation have failed to align with the basic principle of international human law. The duration of Israel occupation spanning more than half of a century coupled with authorities' illegal official annexation of occupied East Jerusalem and de facto annexation of large swaths of West Bank. Though land confiscation and settlement expansion provide clear evidence that Israel's intention is for the occupation to be permanent and for the benefit of the occupying power and its own citizens, Chairperson, I must declare Once again, that all violence and attacks against civilians should be condemned and any violation of international law rejected. The indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable. Civilian facilities such as hospitals, schools, refugee camps should not yet must be not become military operation. The safety of UN staff and humanitarian medical workers must be guaranteed. Israel, as the occupying power, must uphold their obligation under international law, protect and uphold the rights of Palestinians, refrain from excessive, lethal use of force, and guarantee unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance. including health care and other essential services to the West Bank. We believe that the Palestinian people are entitled to self-determination in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations as a right to consequent peremptory norm of the international law in such a situation of foreign occupation, and that Israel, as the occupying power, has the obligation not to impede the Palestinian people from exercising its right to self-determination, including its right to independent sovereign state or integrity of the occupied Palestine. In conclusion, South Africa once again commends the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs in the Occupied Territory, for its work, in spite of the sometimes difficult conditions and challenges it encounters. in implementing its mandate. The International Community needs to take bold steps towards finding a peaceful political settlement to the Israel-Palestine conflict in order to restore the dignity of the Palestinian people and pave the way to their total liberation and self-determination. I thank you.

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

Thank you, Chair. At the outset, Malaysia thanks the Chair of the Special Committee, His Excellency Ambassador Jayantha Jayasurya of Sri Lanka, for presenting the report of the Special Committee to investigate Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied As one of the members of the Special Committee, we commend the Chair and the other member, His Excellency Ambassador Coly Sack of Senegal, as well as the Secretariat of the Special Committee for their excellent cooperation and dedication throughout the preparation of the report. Malaysia endorses the Special Committee’s report and its content in full. Between August 2024 and July 2025, the Special Committee documented multiple violations of international law by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, namely Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan. In its report, the Special Committee, consistent with multiple other United Nations reports, concluded that Israel's conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide, Israel's conduct in the West Bank amounts to ethnic cleansing, and Israel's detention practices amounts to crimes against humanity. The report of the Special Committee provides critical context to the ongoing devastating situation on the ground. Chair, allow Malaysia to highlight several important findings. In Gaza, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, 146,000 injured, and 70% of the infrastructure destroyed. Mass starvation caused by the Israeli blockade has resulted in 89 children confirmed dead from malnutrition. UN staff in Gaza have suffered the highest death toll in the history of the United Nations. As of July 2025, 330 UNRWA staff had been killed and 885 incidents were recorded affecting UN premises. Over 842 civilians were killed while sheltering in UNRWA facilities. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Violence perpetrated by the Israeli state and settlers reached unprecedented levels between August 2024 and July 2025. Over 400 Palestinians were killed, 4,000 injured, and 40,000 displaced. Over 18,000 Palestinians, including 1,450 children and 560 women, were arrested, and most, if not all, were subjected to systematic torture, sexual violence, and killings in custody. Some 4,000 Palestinians remain missing under Israeli detention. All Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and occupied Syrian Golan illegal under international law. As of July 2025, there were 141 Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and 25 in Jerusalem. There were also 503,732 Israeli settlers documented in the West Bank and 233,600 in East Jerusalem. During the reporting period, Israel demolished, seized, or sealed 1,875 structures, including 670 inhabited residential structures in the occupied West Bank and 217 in East Jerusalem. As a result, 3,747 Palestinians, including over 1,500 children, were forcibly displaced in the occupied West Bank and 645 in the occupied East Jerusalem. Chair, the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice issued on 19 July 2024 found that the policies and practices of Israel including the maintenance and expansion of settlements, amounted to the annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory and violated the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. The Court further held that Israel was under an obligation to end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory as rapidly as possible. This decision was supported by 124 Member States at the General Assembly under resolution ES-10/24, which called upon Israel to end its occupation before 18 September 2025. Yet, not only has Israel failed to end its occupation, it has in fact intensified its illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory with impunity. On 22 October 2025, the International Court of Justice released another landmark advisory opinion, wherein the Court unequivocally affirmed the mandate of the United Nations and its entities, including UNRWA, to continue their operations in the occupied Palestinian territory. Israel has therefore failed to fulfil its obligation as an occupying power and as a member of the United Nations. Chair, the real motivation underpinning the illegal occupation is clear. The Committee found that Israeli officials have repeatedly endorsed the ideology of Greater Israel. The notion of historical rights to the land of Israel is being used to justify territorial expansion, including beyond the 1967 borders established by the Security Council Resolution 242. The greater Israel agenda is the reason behind the dispossession, forced displacement, ethnic cleansing, inhuman treatment, and genocide perpetrated by Israel on the Palestinian people. It opposes and completely destroys any prospect for the two-state solution. The ceasefire agreement reached in October has offered renewed hope for a long-term solution to the conflict in Gaza and the region as a whole. The situation remains fragile, as Palestinians' lives continue to be under attack and humanitarian access remains obstructed. In closing, Malaysia reaffirms our support for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination through the establishment of a fully sovereign state of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. A fully sovereign and independent state of Palestine can only be meaningful if its authorities are able to exercise full control over its territories and Israel fully withdraws from all Palestinian territories. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Japan welcomes the continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all surviving hostages. We also note the ongoing return of the remains of the deceased hostages and call on Hamas to immediately return all bodies without delay. Japan once again expresses its appreciation to the United States and to the mediating countries for their tireless diplomacy And we reiterate our support for President Trump's comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict. Yet, this is not a time to throw away words. We must act swiftly to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza, who continue to face dire humanitarian conditions. And above all, reflecting on the brutal acts of terror by Hamas on October 7th, and the immense civilian casualties and destructions throughout this conflict. Such tragedies can never be repeated. Looking ahead, it is essential to draw a responsible and sustainable future plan for Gaza. Hamas must disarm, and we must ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to its neighbors. The IDF, for its part, must gradually withdraw from the Strip. Reconstruction must proceed without the forced displacement of Palestinians. Japan, drawing on its own experience of reconstruction, stands ready to actively contribute to early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, including rubble removal and the restoration of essential infrastructure. We are also ready to proactively engage in efforts such as the dispatch of personnel to the proposed transitional governance mechanism, since Japan knows the necessity of institution building for sustaining peace. Ultimately, governance in Gaza should be assumed by the Palestinian Authority. For this to be feasible, the PA must advance its reform efforts, and the international community must provide robust support for those efforts so that the Palestinian people can establish their own independent state. Just as Japan has long supported the training of Palestinian civil servants, we remain committed to contributing to Palestine state building in a meaningful and sustainable manner. Mr. Chair, in the shadow of Gaza, We are also deeply concerned about the developments in the West Bank. Israel's settlement expansion and step towards annexation erode the foundation for peace, and Japan opposes these actions. We further condemn violence by extremist settlers and urge the Government of Israel to take appropriate measures to prevent them. Mr. Chair, a just and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved through the realization of a two-state solution. After two years of nightmare, the international community must once again unite towards making that vision a reality. Mr. Chair, lastly, let me briefly touch upon Syria. The situation there has dramatically changed since the fall of the Assad regime. We welcome recent development in its political transition and strongly hope that the process continued in an inclusive manner led by the Syrian people. In this regard, the security situation in the country is of serious concern. Japan strongly urges all parties concerned to cease violence and comply with international law, including international humanitarian law. Any attempt to destabilize the political transition will only cause further turmoil and create tremendous hardship for the innocent. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Japan. We have heard the last speaker in the general debate for this meeting. The exercise of the right of reply has been requested. Delegations are reminded of the maximum of two interventions. The first is limited to five minutes and the second to three minutes. I give the floor to the delegation of the State of Palestine.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I've requested the floor and right of reply to the statement by the Israeli representative. We reject Israel's attacks on the Special Committee, which has upheld its mandate in full compliance with international law and UN resolutions. In response to the abhorrent rhetoric against the committee, Israel should be asked to specify what exactly in the Special Committee's reports or reports of the Secretary General, for that matter, is not true. In this committee, we must engage the facts, not misinformation, not propaganda. The Israeli representative, mockingly using Hollywood allusions, claims that UN mechanisms are blinding you, distinguished delegates. But we all know the truth. UN mechanisms, including the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, and all others, are informing the international community of the realities. Yes, the Special Committee is mandated to examine Israeli policies and practices because Israel is an occupying power. Because for 58 years, it has refused to end its illegal occupations of the Palestinian territory and the Syrian Golan, refused to abide by international law, UN resolutions, ICJ advisory opinions, the charter, and any principles of human decency. It does not matter what the mandate is, Israel will attack and demonize it. Take, for example, the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel. Even though the mandate of the COI covers international law violations committed against Israel, Israel still demonizes and attacks the COI. The Israeli representative came to this committee not to inform of facts, but to further spread toxic misinformation. He wishes us to believe that the facts that we have witnessed, that have been thoroughly and painfully documented, that are before the ICJ and ICC, that Israeli human rights organizations themselves, whether B'Tselem, Yesh Din, or Physicians for Human Rights Israel, or others, have also documented, that these are all false and that only the Israeli narrative is truthful, despite the fact that this narrative, honed through displicitous messaging and outright propaganda, is obviously meant to whitewash, deny, and most repugnantly, justify Israel's crimes against the Palestinian people, and moreover, to intimidate anyone who stands against these crimes and demands accountability. We heard that here again today. The Israeli representative refuses to address the facts, refuses to address the reality that has led to worldwide condemnation of its illegal policies and actions, condemnations by governments, by intergovernmental organizations, civil society, and millions of people across the globe demanding an end to its genocide and an end to its occupation. And it comes here again, abusing its rights and privileges as a UN member state to assail the international mechanisms mandated with upholding international law and pursuing justice, to convince everyone to follow its path, to abandon international law and abandon the UN. We urge delegations to reject this offensive, criminal logic and to insist that Palestine cannot remain the exception to the rule of law and universal human rights, and that Israel’s impunity must end, and that it must be held accountable for all of its war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide against the Palestinian people. Thank you, Chair.

I give the floor to the delegation of Israel.

Thank you, Chair. In response, first, I wish to thank Japan for its remark concerning the victims of Hamas attack and the release of the hostages. It seems that in here it is not evident. So, arigato gozaimashita. In the past week, many of you spoke of the need to address root causes of the conflict, and they're right. It is time for this organization to examine things objectively. The Palestinians are speaking of a just solution, but justice is not objective. In Iran, it is justice to jail a woman for not covering her hair. In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, it is justice to cut off hands of thieves. In Gaza, it is justice to publicly execute suspected collaborators. So we need to be clear. Last week, the Palestinian delegate sitting here expressed the Palestinian view of a just solution when she confirmed their desire to return to 1948 locations, which, I remind you, means de facto erasing Israel's existence. She mentioned that it was the right of Palestinians to return to their place of origin or ancestral lands, despite the fact that it is Israel. She also mentioned that it was like all refugees in the world. The problem is that it's not. Palestinians are the only ones who have that right. None of the 193 nations sitting in this has this right. No, they have solutions. Elsewhere, if a refugee can go back to his home, he will. If he can't, UNHCR will try to relocate him with visiting country. And if that is not possible, in a third country. While the Palestinians accuse Israel of enjoying special treatment and impunity, the truth is exactly the opposite. The Palestinians here are the only group in the UN that receive a privileged status. They are the only one who have their own definition of refugee, an agenda item at the Human Rights Council, and multiple UN founded bodies designed to promote their political narratives. And where has this brought us to? The Palestinians proudly display the sign "State of Palestine." They have embassies and delegates, but does the PA have any authority or legitimacy in Gaza since 2006? No, it was Hamas, the de facto authorities in Gaza. Mr. Chair, Soon after the end of the British mandate, Israel formed functioning government. The Palestinians have relied on UNRWA for 76 years. Yet after decades of international support, billions of funding, and almost 99% of UNRWA staff being Palestinians, UNRWA still runs many of the Palestinian schools, infrastructure, and their basic civil services. The Palestinians themselves keep on asking on your support on UNRWA. Why? Isn't 70 years enough time to control these systems independently? Why have they not done so? Same schools, same systems, just different management. Even when waging a war, the Palestinians receive a better treatment. They scream genocide, but the reality is that they are the only ones whose enemy warns the population before it strikes, send text messages, phone calls, and create evacuation routes. Colleagues, I'm not saying those statements to diminish from the horrors of war. It is painful. It is painful for the Palestinians, and it is painful for us. But the conflict cannot be resolved without confronting reality, honestly, and adjusting to the real conditions on the ground. The Sri Lanka delegate mentioned that the world has failed the Palestinians, and he's right. For 70 years, the UN has repeated the same mantras, passed the same resolutions, and ignored the same realities. Instead, it made sure to perpetuate the refugee status of the Palestinians and encouraged their refusal to compromise for the sake of their own people. This paradigm has failed. It must change. Only when the Palestinian leadership accept its responsibilities and terrorism and admits to its people that they need to abandon the fantasy of reversing 1948 and accept the existence of the State of Israel, will sustainable solution become possible. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, for giving my delegation the floor to exercise the right of reply to the allegations announced by the representative of the Israeli regime against my country. My delegation wishes to emphasize that the Israeli apartheid regime persistently claims to be concerned about the human rights situation in other countries. including my own, while at the same time supporting the systematic violation of the human rights of Palestinians, including their inalienable right to self-determination. Such rhetoric is consistently used to deflect attention from the apartheid regime's ongoing violations of international law and its daily actions against Palestinians and United Nations humanitarian personnel. Over the past year, Hundreds of humanitarian workers, including UN staff, have been killed, and the credibility of this organization has been systematically undermined by this regime. The root cause of the dire Palestinians' protracted situation is traceable to illegal occupation that occurred decades before October 2023. and years before the establishment of people resistance groups against the occupation, and even years before the revolution in my country, when documented mass killings, crimes, apartheid practices, and systematic illegal expansion of settlements had already been carried out by Israeli occupying regime before. In assessing allegations delivered by Israeli representatives within the context of such a dire and long-standing reality in Palestine, it is essential to distinguish between legitimate historical grievances and narratives shaped by mis- and disinformation. We observe in almost all settlements delivered by this delegation, in different forums, a recurring pattern: the deliberate attempt to anchor the origins of the question of Palestine and all criminal and illegal acts of Israel itself to a single later event that eventually done by others in response to Israeli own illegal policies and violence against Palestinians and other nations in our region. Such selective framing not only distort the chronology of responsibility and accountability, but also obscures the deeper structural root causes that gave rise to the question of Palestine. Needless to say, that a critical reading of the historical record demonstrates that the roots of the current situation in our region cannot be reduced to any other event but Israeli actions, and any narrative that does so reflects a conscious manipulation of facts rather than an objective engagement with reality. This reality is further underscored by the statistical evidence of the past decades, which highlights thousands of cases of terrors in Palestine and all the region, displacement of Palestinians, settlement expansion, or other atrocities committed by Israel. In conclusion, Mr. Chair, while once again and categorically rejecting the allegation against our country, we call upon the Israeli occupying regime to adhere fully to its international obligations, Humanitarian aid must flow regularly and sustainably into Gaza and all occupied territories. It is the moral, political, and legal duty of the international community and of this organization to take decisive measures to end the occupation and to protect the Palestinian people from ongoing violence and violation of their human rights. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the delegation of the State of Palestine for a second statement.

I apologize, Chair, for taking the floor again. We've just witnessed here in the Fourth Committee how Israel continues to dig in its heels, its blatant intransigence, no remorse for the horrific crimes it has committed against Palestinian children, women, and men. or for its nearly six decades of military occupation, no remorse for the total denial and violation of the inalienable right of our people to self-determination, to live as a free people in our homeland. And likewise, we heard again today the insistence that Israel can only exist on the basis of the erasure of the Palestinian people and their rights. That is the root cause of this historic and grave injustice that is a stain on the international community, and that will remain so until a just solution is achieved that realizes the rights of our people, including to life, to return, and to self-determination. These are not fantasies. These are rights that we will never abandon and that the international community rightfully insists on in pursuit of a just peace, as we have roundly heard from all delegations that have spoken in this Committee today, except for one. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I now give the floor to the delegation of Israel for a second statement.

Thank you very much. Mr. President, I didn't mean to have this hour, but since the Iranian delegate opened the door, I am forced to respond. The Iranian delegate has shown a commendable mastery of UN rhetoric and eloquent speech, but I do find it difficult to receive lectures on human rights and democratic values from a country that doesn't know the meaning of the word. Let's be clear, if this discussion was held in Tehran under their laws, around half of the people here would have been behind bars right now, or worse, arrested by the morality guards for so-called moral crimes. Maybe in the notorious Evin prison, or houses academics, dual nationals, and human rights activists. One of the world's biggest exporters of terrorism worldwide, whose fingerprints, as well as its drone, explosive, and finance, find their way to the hoodies of Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza and the PA. that its attacks extend all the way to Argentina, that seven of its citizens were arrested by the British counter-terrorism authorities in May, and that at least 20 of terror plots were foiled by the MI5 since 2022. I state that its deceitful behavior in all fields, including its nuclear program, led to the reimposition of the United Nations sanctions under the snapback mechanism. Iran wants you to believe that we are the source of wars in the region, but I wish to remind that we always extend our hand in peace. And when it was extended back, we took it, starting with Egypt, Jordan, the Abraham Accords, even the Palestinians, and ironically, also with Iran. Iran and Israel had extremely good relations in the past, up until the Iranian Revolution in 1970 that saw us as an enemy. If Iran wishes to point its fingers on a warmonger, it should not look at us, it should look at the mirror. And regarding the remarks made by the Palestinian, I would highly suggest that you revisit what I've just said, because this is not what I've said. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran for a second statement.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, for giving the floor to my delegation for the second time to exercise its right of reply. The politically motivated allegations made by the representative of the Israeli regime against my country regarding the situation of human rights and regarding our support of Palestinian people and their aspiration for being benefited of their inalienable right to self-determination is another example of deliberate information manipulation and dissemination of false information, as well as intervention in my country's internal efforts by this regime. It is not surprising that this regime has failed to acknowledge its ongoing and shameful record of illegal occupation of Palestinian territory, as well as violating their human rights, and instead drag non-relevant subjects to the debate of this august body. regime deliberately seeks to conceal the fact that, over the past two years alone, it has committed numerous criminal acts, including atrocities against the Palestinian people, resulting in the death of nearly 70,000 people, mostly women, children, and the elderly, as well as the injury and displacement of hundreds of thousands of others. The bloodshed caused by this regime has never ceased. It's not new. Only a couple of months ago, in June, our country was attacked by its war machinery. In the middle of the night, while families, including women and children, were sleeping in their homes, they were targeted by this regime's missiles. The aggression continued for 12 consecutive days, striking multiple locations across the territory of Iran. including nuclear facilities and residential buildings in various cities. This regime has engaged in illegal occupation for several decades, hampering people in occupied territories from a deserved life condition, including their access and contribution in the social media. In an attempt to conceal its brutality and unlawful conduct, the regime claims to be combating terrorism while disregarding that the short history of this regime is replete with thousands acts of terrors. The policy pursued by Iran in this regard, in the question of Palestine and supporting the people, is fully consistent with international law and the Charter of the United Nations. Iran not only rejects terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, but actively combats it. My delegation categorically rejects the baseless allegations.

The Committee will meet again tomorrow at 10:00 AM in this room to continue with the general debate on agenda item 50. I thank the interpreters for the additional time granted to us this morning. The meeting is adjourned.