The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question - Security Council, 10230th meeting

Good morning, one and all. The 10,230th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is: The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The agenda is adopted. In accordance with Rule 37 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite the representative of Israel to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. I propose that the Council invite the permanent observer of the observer state of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in the meeting in accordance with the provisional rules of procedure and the previous practice in this regard. There being no objection, it is so decided. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Ramiz Alakbarov, Acting Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator; Mr. Maoz Inon, peace activist; co-executive director of Interact International and co-author of The Future is Peace and Mr. Aziz Abou-Sahra, peace activist, co-executive director of Interact International and co-author of The Future is peace, it is so decided. I would like to wish a very warm welcome to our briefers and to the representative of Israel and Palestine. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item 2 of the agenda. I now give the floor to Mr. Alakbarov. You have the floor.

Mr. President, Excellencies, Today's briefing is devoted to the 39th report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2834. It covers the period from 13 June to 18 September. Security Council resolution 2334 calls on Israel to immediately and completely cease all settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and to fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard. Settlement activity has, nevertheless, continued at high levels. During the reporting period, Israeli planning authorities advanced or approved nearly 4,570 housing units in the Area C of the West Bank and 3,515 units in East Jerusalem. The Israeli Housing Ministry published tenders for nearly 2,240 housing units in areas east of the West Bank, including for 1,234 units in the E1 area near Jerusalem. On 14 July, Israeli Finance Minister announced that the Israeli Cabinet approved the establishment of a new settlement in the northern West Bank. He also announced that the Israeli Security Cabinet had allocated 1.3 billion shekels, approximately US$430 million, towards the placement of temporary housing units in dozens of new settlements throughout the West Bank. Temporary structures were reportedly placed in Kadim on 5 August, following reported cabinet approval for reestablishment in December of 2025. On 31 August, some families reportedly moved into Noah, a new settlement reportedly approved by the cabinet in March of 2026. IDF also issued an unprecedented seizure order for privately owned land in Area A near Kabatiya, south of Jenin City, to construct the road linking Noah and Emeq Dotan, two of the 34 settlements recently approved. This marked the first reported seizure of Area A land explicitly for settlement infrastructure. Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures also continued. Citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, Israeli authorities demolished, seized, or forced people to demolish 536 structures in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing 736 persons and including 347 children. Evictions of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem also continued. On 12 August 2026, the Jerusalem Municipality demolished a Palestinian-owned house and an animal barn in Silwan, East Jerusalem, forcibly displacing a family of eight. On 18 August, two Palestinian households comprising nine people, including one child, were evicted in Silwan following a court ruling in favor of the Atoret Kokhanim settler organization. Settlers subsequently took over parts of the building. Mr. President, Security Council Resolution 2334 calls for an immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as acts of provocation and destruction. Acts of violence against civilians continue to the high number of fatal incidents, precluding me from detaining all of them. The ceasefire in Gaza remains highly fragile as Israeli Defense Forces military operations continue to the west of the so-called yellow line. including small arms fire, quadcopter fire, and shelling in support of clearance and demolition activity. Daily IDF airstrikes have also continued in densely populated areas west of so-called "yellow line." According to the Ministry of Health, 360 Palestinians were killed and over 1,600, including women and children, were injured during the reporting period. At least 1,386 Palestinians have been killed since October 25 ceasefire went into effect, including 300 children and 100 women, and 4,784 injured. According to Israeli sources, there were no Israeli fatalities in Gaza during the reporting period. Several Israel Defense Forces soldiers were reportedly injured during military operations. In the West Bank, 32 Palestinians, including 9 children, were killed during Israeli security forces operations, armed exchanges, settler attacks, and other incidents. 3 were killed by airstrike and 29 by live ammunition. 633 Palestinians, including 91 children, were injured by Israeli forces or settlers, including 2 in an airstrike, 93 due to gas/tear inhalation, and 90 by live ammunition. According to Israeli sources, two members of Israeli forces were killed by Palestinians, and another 49 Israelis, including four children and two women, and four Israeli security forces personnel were injured by Palestinians in shooting, stabbing, and ramming attacks and other incidents. According to the Israel Prison Service, as of September 2026, Israel holds 9,329 Palestinians as security detainees, of them 3,176 under administrative detention without charges or trial, and 1,393 Palestinians as unlawful combatants. On 17 August, operations by Israeli forces in Tulkarm and Qabatiya, south of Jenin, resulted in displacement, damage to civilian infrastructure, and mass detentions. In Qabatiya, Israeli forces raided and searched some 100 homes and detained more than 60 Palestinians, including two women. Some detainees were reportedly assaulted during interrogation. Most were subsequently released. On 28 August, an Israeli drone strike on a building under construction in Jenin city killed three Palestinian men. Israeli forces reportedly prevented Palestinian Red Crescent Society personnel from reaching the building, briefly detained two emergency responders, and confiscated equipment from an ambulance. The three refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams remain empty and their residents, more than 33,000 of them, remain displaced, in the longest and largest displacement in the West Bank since 1967. Settler violence has reached unprecedented levels, often in the presence of Israeli forces. During the reporting period, there were documented 630 settler attacks that resulted in casualties, property damages of both, killing 11 Palestinians and injuring 430, including 115 by Israeli forces, and displacing 344 Palestinians across 17 communities. On 5th July, at least 100 settlers attacked Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya in Nablus, damaging Palestinian homes and businesses. On 21 August, an Israeli settlement guard and an armed settler opened fire during an attack by more than 50 Israeli settlers near Sair village in Hebron, killing a Palestinian boy and critically injuring another Palestinian. In Qusra, Nablus Governorate, three Palestinian families have been effectively confined to their homes without adequate supplies and systematically harassed. and intimidated since 9 August amid the continued presence of Israeli settlers and forces in the area following the establishment of a nearby settler outpost. During the reporting period, three Palestinian communities were fully depopulated following sustained settler violence, bringing to 49 the number of communities fully displaced under similar circumstances since January 2023. While measures were taken by Israeli officials during the reporting period to prosecute several perpetrators, The vast majority of perpetrators have not been held accountable to date. Palestinian attacks against Israelis also continued. On 23 August, an Israeli man was stabbed and injured in Al-Auja, near Jericho. Israeli forces subsequently detained the Palestinian boy alleged to have been connected to the attack. Mr. President, The Security Council and its resolution 2334, 2016, called upon both parties to refrain from provocative actions, incitement, and inflammatory rhetoric. Unfortunately, such acts continued. Hamas continued to praise attack by Palestinians against Israelis. A Fatah official said that in our region, everything that happens is because of Israel. Other Palestinian officials continue to glorify perpetrators of previous attacks against Israelis. A senior Israeli minister called to take down 30 to 40 Palestinians in Gaza every night, adding that some are not even people. Another senior Israeli minister repeated his calls for the Israeli army to conquer Gaza completely, establish a military government there, establish Jewish settlement there. Several Israeli officials also promoted policies characterized as Palestinian immigration from Gaza. Mr. President, Resolution 2334 2016 reiterated calls by the Middle East Quartet to, sorry, four, affirmative steps to be taken immediately to reverse negative trends on the grounds that are imperiling the two-state solution. Efforts to implement the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict continued. On 30th July, Hamas and other Palestinians factions announced they had accepted the 15-point roadmap for completing the implementation of the comprehensive plan, including commitments concerning the full demilitarization and Israeli withdrawal. On 9 August, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel did not accept the roadmap. On 17 August, his office announced an agreement between Israel and the Board of Peace to establish two working groups, one on disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza, and another on water, sanitation, and public health. The humanitarian situation in Gaza, in the meantime, remains grave. While there have been increased supplies of food and sanitary items in recent months, the health situation remains critical. Infectious diseases remain widespread amid overcrowded displacement sites and inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions, while shortages of medical supplies, fuel, and the overall humanitarian response are compounded by funding shortfalls. Restrictions on entry of critical humanitarian items continue to impede the scale-up of the humanitarian response, including preparations for winterization. The Palestinian Authority's fiscal situation remains critical. Israel continues to withhold some US$6 billion in clearance revenues, and the Palestinian Authority is unable to deliver basic services, sustain social protection, or pay full salaries to civil servants and security personnel. The Palestinian Central Elections Committee advanced preparations for the Palestinian Legislative Council elections scheduled for 28 November, including steps to update the voter registration and the publication of the electoral timetable. On 25th August, Israeli authorities unlawfully entered and took control of the UNRWA Qalandiya training center in East Jerusalem. Tensions continued at the holy sites. On 13 August, hundreds of Jewish worshippers engaged in open prayers, dancing, and singing. And on 16 August, Israeli police reportedly further eased restrictions on Jewish prayer by allowing the use of prayer books. During the reporting period, the UN documented 15 instances of attacks on places of worship by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank, including four arson attacks on mosques in Ramallah Governorate between 14 and 17 June. Mr. President, in Resolution 2334, the Security Council also called upon all States to distinguish in their relevant dealings between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967. Resolution 2334 also called upon all parties to continue inter alia to extend collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on all final status issues in the Middle East peace process. On 23 July, the President of Ireland signed into law legislation prohibiting the importation of goods originating in Israeli settlements. The new Act has been in effect since 15 September 2026. On 21st July, the government of Netherlands published a decree banning the import, purchase, and sale of goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements located in the occupied territories, including in the OPT, to prevent Dutch economic activities from helping to perpetuate a situation that contravenes international law, beginning on 22nd September. On 8 September, the governments of Canada, France and the UK jointly announced that they would take steps to ban the importation of goods from settlements and enforce targeted measures against settlements and those who facilitate them or profit from them. The same day, UK Foreign Minister announced plans that include banning the import of goods from settlements into the UK, taking steps against individuals and companies that support, facilitate, or profit from illegal settlement activity, or banning advertising or promotion of land and property in illegal settlements. On 15 July, the second meeting of the Palestinian Donor Group was held in Brussels, co-chaired by the European Union and Palestinian Authority. Mr. President, in closing, allow me to share the Secretary-General's observation of the implementation of the Security Council 2334 in the occupied Palestinian territory, comprising the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. I strongly condemn the relentless expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which fuels tensions, impedes access by Palestinians to their land, and threatens the viability of a fully independent, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian state. The rapidly expanding settlement footprint, including outposts, is taking place in conjunction with a rise in settler attacks. Developments in Area A and B and the peripheries of the larger Palestinian towns raise concern about encircling Palestinians, restricting their access to surrounding farmland and open space. These developments are in breach of international law, further entrenching the unlawful Israeli occupation and undermining the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. I reiterate that all Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and related infrastructure have no legal validity, constitute flagrant violations of international law, and must cease. I strongly condemn developments related to E1 settlement plan, which would effectively sever the connection between the northern and southern West Bank and further isolate East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. As such, its implementation would have severe consequences for the territorial contiguity of the occupied Palestinian territory and present an existential threat to the two-state solution. I call upon Israel to refrain from taking further steps in this regard and to act in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions and its obligations under international law, as confirmed by International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion issued on 19 July 2024. The Israeli government decisions to deepen Israeli administrative and territorial control of the West Bank are deeply concerning. These measures are likely to contribute to the settlement expansion and dispossession of Palestinians of their property. They also undermine the Palestinian Authority, contravene existing agreements and breach obligations under international law, as well as seriously eroding the prospect for a negotiated two-state solution. The creeping annexation of the West Bank is unlawful, has no legal effect and must stop. The demolition and seizure of Palestinian civilian structures may entail numerous human rights violations and raise concerns about the risk of forcible transfer. I call on Israel to cease the unlawful demolition of Palestinian-owned civilian structures in accordance with its international obligations. I am deeply concerned by the scale of displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank, where entire communities have been displaced, some multiple times, which may raise concerns about ethnic cleansing. Such displacement may amount to forcible transfer, which is prohibited under international law. The extremely high levels of violence across the occupied West Bank are deeply alarming. I condemn all acts of violence against civilians. I am deeply concerned that persistent and intensifying settler attacks, often in the proximity, support, or acquiescence of Israeli security forces, are further displacing Palestinian communities. Settler attacks are increasingly reported in Area B and even Area A. Entrenched impunity serves as a central driver in this violence. I call on Israel, as the occupying power, to protect the Palestinian population against attacks and intimidation. Palestinian attacks against Israelis must also cease. All perpetrators must be held accountable. Multiple instances in which officials on all sides have glorified violence and engaged in dangerous provocations, incitement, and inflammatory language are deeply troubling and must be unequivocally rejected. Israel's implementation of punitive economic and fiscal measures is destabilizing Palestinian institutions and threatening viability of Palestinian Authority. I urge Israel to immediately cease all such unilateral steps. I encourage continued reforms by Palestinian Authority and urge international partners to provide the necessary support to these efforts. I welcome ongoing electoral preparations. which are key to reform the process. I urge the international community to provide the necessary political and financial support to ensure that these preparations proceed effectively and that elections are held in timely, inclusive, and transparent manner. The parties must respect and uphold the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem, taking in account the special and historical role of Jordan. I call for the full implementation of the comprehensive plan to end Gaza conflict, including the recovery and reconstruction in Gaza. In coordination with Palestinian Authority, the United Nations is ready to support the efforts of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to provide critical public services, facilitate humanitarian aid, and lay the groundwork for reconstruction in accordance with international law. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. Israeli authorities have confined Gaza population to about 30% of the territory with continued killing of civilians. While the availability of certain food and certain sanitation items has improved due to decreased aid and commercial deliveries, infrastructure damage is catastrophic, and there are severe shortages of clean water, medical care, education, fuel, health items, and shelter. Humanitarian access remains severely constrained by logistical and security obstacles, with only one crossing open for the passage of goods. Essential systems and services must be restored without further delay, and ventilization efforts must be urgently scaled up and facilitated. I call upon all parties to comply with their obligations and international humanitarian law. The provision of humanitarian aid must never be used as a bargaining chip, and human dignity should not be conditional. The space for recovery has so far been denied. I strongly condemn the Israeli authorities' continued actions against UNRWA, including the unlawful entry and demolition of property at the Qalandia Training Center in East Jerusalem. These actions are inconsistent with Israel's clear obligations under international law. The International Court of Justice, in its advisory opinion of October 22, 2025, confirmed that Israel must respect the inviolability of United Nations premises and not interfere with the performance of their functions. I urge the Government of Israel to restore all affected premises to the United Nations without delay. I urge Member States to continue to politically support and financially sustain UNRWA. The New York Declaration, endorsed by the General Assembly together with the existing Security Council resolutions, provide a political vision and coordinated international effort to advance the two-state solution and resolve the conflict. As we approach 10 years since the adoption of resolution 2334, the situation is morally, legally, and politically intolerable. We must recommit ourselves to the two-state solution before it is too late. Continued efforts are essential to support Palestinians and Israelis in ending the unlawful occupation and resolving the conflict in line with international law, UN resolutions, and bilateral agreements pursuing a two-state vision. Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable, sovereign Palestinian state, living side by side in peace and security, based on the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states. I thank you for your attention.

I would like to thank Mr. Alakbarov for his briefing, and I give the floor to Mr. Maoz Inon.

President, distinguished members of the Security Council. My name is Maoz Inon. I'm an Israeli. I grew up along the border of Gaza. On the morning of October 7th, my world collapsed. My beloved parents, Bila and Yaacobi, were among the first victims of the Hamas attack at Netiv HaAsara. Two days later, gathered in grief our family made a conscious choice to reject vengeance revenge will never bring my parents back it only feed an endless cycle of trauma and bloodshed amid that darkness Aziz Abou Sara reached out to me Aziz is a Palestinian from East Jerusalem who lost his brother Taysir following torture torture in an Israeli prison Aziz understood the weight of my pain together We founded Interact and wrote The Future is Peace to prove that trauma can heal and despair can transform into hope. To build a different future, we must face reality. Hamas committed atrocious war crime on October 7, killing and abducting innocent Israeli. At the same time, the Israeli government exploited these atrocities to wage a devastating war of revenge. They have inflicted catastrophic destruction across Gaza while accelerating ethnic cleansing, settlement expansion, and forced displacement in the West Bank. They direct defiance the UN Security Council 2334. They weaponized our pain, but our grief must not be an excuse for war. It must be the catalyst to end the bloodshed. To turn this pain into a just and lasting peace, we propose five pillars. First, a shared vision. Our proverbs teach, where there is no vision, the people perish. We must establish a just and lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. Second, shared values. We must anchor this vision in moral clarity, equality and dignity, acknowledgement and recognition, security and safety to all and for all people. Third, broad peace coalition. We stand here as members of the Alliance for Middle East Peace and its time coalitions. We have many problems in Israel and Palestine, but a weak civil society is not one of them. And we are joined by a rising global movement. From Italian dockworkers refusing to load weapons shipments, to trade unions taking a stand against settlements goods, everyday citizens worldwide are demonstrating that moral accountability starts and begins from below. It is time to act for our shared humanity. We call on the international community from grassroots movement to regional neighbors to the member states of these councils to join us. No one can fulfill this vision alone, and we need your active partnership. Fourth, strategic roadmap. We call for the immediate full implementation of the UN General Assembly resolution endorsing the New York Declaration on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of two-state solution. For the first time in this conflict history, civil society fed ideas directly into this plan. When President Macron convened 400 of us in Paris, endorsed by 142 nations, it's time to implement it now. Fifth, implementation and accountability. We must move from statements to actions, coupling accountability with bold incentive for peace. While my partner, Aziz, will address the urgent need for targeted sanction, I urge this Council to invest where it matters the most: peacemakers on the ground. We applaud Canada, the UK, and Australia for initiating the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. Other Member States must join. Peace is not a naive thought or wishful thinking. It's a historical necessity. Every conflict in human history eventually end. The question is not if, but when, and how many more life will be lost before we achieve it. Today, September 28th, mark the 31st anniversary of the Oslo II. While its promise remains unfulfilled, Oslo prove that even sworn enemies can dare to recognize one another. History teach us that peace does not fail because it's impossible, but because leaders lack the courage to sustain it. Few see peace approaching. Before many historic tipping point, people said peace is impossible. From Northern Ireland to South Africa, from Rwanda to the fall of the Berlin Wall, to President Sadat's visit to Jerusalem, This means we are always only weeks away from choosing peace. Within this room lies the power to make history. We call on you to act, to lead, and to work with us to heal the broken reality. On October 7th, I lost my parents, I lost childhood friend, I lost many people I knew my entire life. But I want Aziz Abu Sara. I want Aziz as a brother. Thank you.

I thank Mr. Inon

for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Aziz Abu Sara.

Mr. President. I grew up in the outskirts of Jerusalem and I experienced the expansion of settlements firsthand. When I was seven, my mom snatched me out of bed and hid me on the roof as settlers marched through our neighborhood, torching cars and homes. This is why Resolution 2334 is important to me. I was afraid to go to school because it meant crossing a checkpoint. I was shot at for the first time when I was eight. My brother Taysir was detained and beaten to death by Israeli soldiers when I was 10. My experience should not be normal for any child. The illegal occupation, the settlements, and the destruction of Gaza are injustices we cannot allow to continue. So how should we respond? For Maoz and I, we start by refusing to be enemies. I reached out to Maoz when his parents were killed because I stand with him against Hamas's attack. We believe this is not Israelis versus Palestinians. It is a choice between those who believe in peace, justice, and equality, and those who don't yet. Maoz is one of the bravest people I know. A week after October 7th, he went on television saying he was not crying only for his parents, but also for the children killed in Gaza. This kind of humanity is our only path forward. So to deliver peace to our region, we ask the Security Council to join us and take the following steps. We emphasize the need first protect civilians, and we emphasize the need for a civilian protection mechanism now. In Gaza, over 1,000 people have been killed since the ceasefire. In the West Bank, tens of thousands of people have been forcefully displaced. Over 1,000 people have been killed since October 7th. During next month's olive harvest, we anticipate a significant increase in violent attacks. We urge the Security Council to exercise maximum pressure now to protect Palestinian farmers. Second, punish violence. We call for targeted sanctions on all individuals and institutions that support violence. Apply sanctions without partiality. A good start is for the international community to join France, UK, Canada, and others who sanction settlers and settlements. Third, humanitarian access to detainees. We call on Israel to comply today with the June 3rd and the recent September Israeli High Court decision allowing the Red Cross access to Palestinians in Israeli custody. Israel holds more than 9,000 Palestinians in detention or prison. This includes more than 370 children. At least 93 are confirmed dead since October 7th. But the actual death toll is likely much higher. It's too late for my brother, Taysir. But we can save others. Fourth, elections in Palestine. We encourage the Security Council to support the Palestinian Authority in holding free and fair elections and for Palestinians in Jerusalem and Gaza to be able to participate. I'm 46 years old. The last Palestinian elections took place when I was 26. Elections will provide Palestinian people with the agency, both locally and internationally. Fifth, prioritize education. We must stop weaponizing history with mutually exclusive nationalist narratives. Through our work at Interact, we know that multi-narrative education paves the way for civil discourse, empathy, and dialogue. We urge the Security Council to help us bring multi-narrative education into every school and community in Israel and Palestine. Sixth, include peacemakers and amplify our message. Initiatives like the Board of Peace must include peacemakers and more equal gender representation. Peacemakers should be invited to participate in humanitarian aid, development efforts, and rebuilding of Gaza. Our legitimacy depends on our ability to deliver for our people. Member States, play powerful role in amplifying our voices. The Paris call shows how member states can support and legitimize our work. We ask more countries to do the same. Host us in your capitals, broadcast our message, amplify our voices, and make us a prominent part of your diplomacy and your budget. as the G7 committed to do so in 2024. We also thank Minister Barrett for convening a roundtable with civil society leaders at last week's General Assembly. Let's make that the new norm. I will end by saying some people will justify atrocities by claiming that God is on their side. They are wrong. Those of us from the Abrahamic traditions must remember that one of God's names is Shalom, Salam, peace. You cannot claim faith in God and support oppression. So this is our vision for humanity. May we never have to see each other as enemies. May no child know injustice. May every child know peace. And may every child from the river to the sea be free. Thank you.

I thank Mr. Abou-Sarah for that statement. I now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statements. I give the floor to the representative of Denmark.

Mr. President, and let me also thank Acting Special Coordinator Alec Barr for his briefing, as well as Mr. Inon and Mr. Abou-Sarah for your shared vision and call for action. That gives us hope. Mr. President, last week, during the High-Level Week, we marked one year since 142 Member States united behind the New York Declaration, reiterating their support for the two-state solution. Today, while we recognize the significant milestones achieved, we face a widening gap between diplomatic progress and the realities on the ground. In the West Bank, as we heard from our briefers today, Some of the major obstacles to progress include illegal settlements, most recently and alarmingly exemplified by the E1 settlement project, including the unacceptable decision to publish tenders for the project, a project that would ultimately split the West Bank in two and isolate East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank. This project and all settlement expansions must be halted immediately. and any attempt at de facto annexation prevented. We once again underscore that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. Settler violence has also reached unprecedented levels. Since the beginning of the year, more than 1,600 settler attacks across communities in the West Bank have resulted in casualties, property damage, or both. 77 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers. One in five of those killed was a child. The network of checkpoints and roadblocks that impede access to workplaces, schools, and hospitals also continues to grow, restricting the last bit of freedom of movement in the daily life of Palestinians. School life for the children is further disrupted by demolitions, military raids on educational institutions, and detentions while traveling to and from school. and access to medical facilities is similarly hampered. These developments illustrate how basic human rights are being stripped away and the real and devastating impact on the Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Palestinian land is shrinking to isolated enclaves, and Palestinian civic space is equally shrinking. These developments, if they are not stopped, will ultimately render the two-state solution impossible, dismantling the possibility of a lasting peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis. Mr. President, Denmark calls on Israel to reverse its current trajectory in the West Bank, including halting all settlement projects, ensuring accountability for settler violence, and releasing withheld Palestinian clearance revenues. We welcome the progress the Palestinian Authority has made in its reform efforts, including the announcement of legislative elections. We encourage more steps to be taken. But we cannot expect these reforms to be successful when there is no access to financing of the budgets. Releasing the Palestinian Authority's clearance revenues would help the PA to meet its budgetary obligations and provide essential services to the population. Mr. President, allow me to briefly turn to the pressing needs in Gaza. A year following the ceasefire, the gunshots have lessened. But we have not seen the progress we had hoped for regarding the implementation of resolution 2803, especially as humanitarian aid access remains severely insufficient. Basic human needs go unmet. Patients die without proper medical care. And Israeli restrictions continue to prevent the necessary action as required by the Gaza peace plan. More must be done. As winter approaches, needs are increasing, especially for shelter and fuel. Israel needs to facilitate safe, unhindered, and continuous humanitarian access to allow relief to reach the civilian population, as well as to ensure the dignity of the human remains of those lost under the rubble. Mr. President, the future of Gaza and the West Bank are tightly interconnected. Progress towards peaceful settlement of the Palestinian question is needed. It requires the full implementation of the Gaza peace plan and a halt to settlements in the West Bank. This is why Denmark stands behind the joint statement released earlier this month, along with the UK, France, Canada and many others, confirming the intention to take action to prevent further damage. With this statement, Denmark confirms its support to European restrictions on trading goods with settlements, which are illegal under international law. The aim is to protect the two-state solution and to ensure a just and lasting peace based on the principles enshrined in the New York Declaration. The goal is still clear: a peaceful and safe Israel and a peaceful and safe Palestinian State. They are not mutually exclusive.

I thank the representative of Denmark for that statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Liberia.

Thank you, Mr. President. Liberia thanks the acting special coordinator and briefers for the assessments. We also welcome the participation of the distinguished representatives of and the State of Palestine. Liberia's position is clear and unchanged. The only just and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian question is two sovereign, independent states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of international law and the relevant resolutions of this Council. In 1947, Liberia voted in favor of General Assembly Resolution 181, which envisioned an independent Palestinian state and an independent Jewish state. Today, in full alignment with international law, relevant Security Council resolutions, and the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, we reaffirm that commitment. Mr. President, the two-state solution will not survive on declarations alone. It depends on protecting the conditions that make it possible. As this Council nears a full decade since adopting resolution 2334, a child born on the day of its passage is approaching their 10th year, having watched its clear provisions go unimplemented. Settlement this Council declared to possess no legal validity have not passed. They have multiplied. Construction in the E1 corridor, particularly, threatens to extinguish the territorial contiguity on which a viable Palestinian state depends. We cannot build tomorrow's peace while bulldozing today's geography. We call on all parties to refrain from unilateral actions that alter the facts on the ground and foreclose the prospect of two states. We likewise call for the full and faithful implementation of Resolution 2803. Its transitional and stabilization mechanisms, authorized by this Council, must serve as a bridge towards Palestinian statehood, not a detour from it. Mr. President, security for Israel without self-determination for Palestine is an unsustainable illusion. Statehood for Palestine without security for Israel is also impossible. They are not rival claims, but twin pillars of the same architecture. To pull down one is to guarantee the collapse of the other. Israel must be able to live free from terror and the threat of attack. The Palestinian people must be able to exercise their right to self-determination in a state of their own, with Gaza and the West Bank reunited under a single, legitimate Palestinian authority. Libya does not offer its own history as a template, but it informs our conviction. After 14 years of civil war, we were told our divisions were permanent. Peace came because our neighbors and this Council stay engaged. And because our citizens, many of them women, insisted on it, we learned that peace is never the absence of fear on one side. It is the presence of security and dignity on both. The protection of civilians remains an absolute imperative. International humanitarian law is not a menu for options. It binds everywhere for everyone. We reiterate our calls for an end to violence against civilians, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access, and full protection for humanitarian personnel. Mr. President, progress towards two states is also essential to wider regional stability. Conflict in Yemen and attacks along the Red Sea continue to disrupt shipping and raise the cost of grain, fuel, and fertilizer as far away as Africa. In line with Resolution 2254, why Syria requires a comprehensive political process in line with Resolution 2254 that upholds its sovereignty, a credible path to Palestinian statehood, who remove one of the region's deepest sources of grievance, and help calm these interconnected theaters. The window for a two-state solution is narrow, but it remains open. Liberia stands with every nation and every leader with the courage to walk through it. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Liberia for that statement. I now give the floor to Somalia.

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank the Deputy Special Coordinator, Mr. Alakbarov, for his briefings. We have listened carefully to the powerful testimony of Mr. Aynon and Mr. Abu Sara, and thank them for their courage and dedication for standing up for human dignity and human rights. Nearly 10 years after the adoption of the Security Council Resolution 2334, its central provisions remain unimplemented. Its demands have been met not with a compliance, but with defiance. Settlement activities is accelerating. The foundations of the two-state solutions are being dismantled, and violence dispositions and displacement are entrenched and unlawful occupation. Against this backdrop, I wish to emphasize five points. First, Violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank is gravely alarming. Palestinian civilians, including women, children, continue to be killed and maimed on a daily basis without any regard to sanctity of human life. Subtle terrorism has become one of the most severe and fastest escalating drivers of humanitarian need, while impunity fuels further attacks. The occupying power must protect civilians under occupation, and its collective punishment and ethnic cleansing must be held to account. Second, demolitions, evictions, and forced displacements are creating irreversible facts on the ground. Palestinian homes, schools, farmlands, water systems, and essential infrastructures continue to be demolished, seized, or destroyed. Recent reports of the settlers supported by the occupying power diverting water from a natural spring serving the Palestinian village of Fassayel into an ancient reservoir to establish a tourist site illustrates how this position is extending to vital natural and cultural resources amid broader efforts to seize local springs and heritage sites. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Jenin, Nour Shams, and Tulkarm refugee camps. They must be guaranteed safe and dignified return to their homes. Demolitions and evictions must cease, and measures creating a coercive environment and increasing the risk of forcible transfer must be rescinded. We are especially concerned by the E1 settlement plan, including 3,401 settlement units and the so-called sovereignty road. These measures will isolate East Jerusalem, fragment the West Bank, and turn into de facto annexation into a de jure annexation. They must be rescinded. All Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of international law and Resolution 2334. Somalia condemns the settlement expansion, annexation, and attempts to alter territories' legal, historical, and demographic status. Third, humanitarian access has been severely obstructed. Some communities have become effectively unreachable. Humanitarian personnel have been attacked, threatened, harassed, or detained. Israel must guarantee safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access. Arbitrarily detained humanitarian personnel must be released, and registration procedures hindering relief must be rescinded. UNRWA mandate must be respected, legislation banning its operations reversed, and attacks against its personnel and premises ended. Fourth, Gaza and West Bank are not separate crises. One policy is annexation of the West Bank, the other is forced displacement in Gaza. Different policies. same outcome, territorial fragmentation, weakened Palestinian governance, and the erosion of Palestinian statehood. Gaza and West Bank, including East Jerusalem, must remain one territorial, political, and economic unit under a single Palestinian authority. Israel must release all withheld Palestinian tax revenues, which are essential for public services and Palestinian institutions. Fifth, The International Court of Justice has found Israeli continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful. Third, states must not recognize, aid, or assist the situation created by that unlawful presence. States must use diplomatic, legal, and economic measures to halt annexation and end the unlawful occupation. This includes ending trade and investment in settlements, halting weapons transfer where they may facilitate violations of international law, and reviewing relevant occupation and trade agreements. Mr. President, sustainable peace will be unattainable without ending the occupation. No lasting stability while settlement expand and no credible political horizon while the two-state solution is dismantled. Somalia remains and reaffirms the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and an independent sovereign state based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital. We call for full respect for the status quo at Jerusalem's holy sites in line with Jordan's special and historic role. The failure to implement Resolution 2334 cannot become the status quo. Council resolutions cannot be defied with arrogant impunity. The Palestinian people deserve freedom and dignity. The region deserves peace. This Council must act and fulfill its responsibility. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Somalia for that statement. I now give the floor to the representative of the United States.

Thank you, President. The goal of a peaceful and prosperous future throughout Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza is achievable. The United States and our partners on the Board of Peace continue to work towards that goal. To achieve that future, the immediate and complete disarmament and demobilization of Hamas is critical. As a terrorist organization, Hamas must have no future in Gaza's governance. Hamas must fulfill that commitment as agreed in line with President Trump's 20-point comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict, which this council endorsed in Resolution 2803. We call again on all UN member states to support the work of the Board of Peace, including the Office of the High Representative, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and the International Stabilization Force. We welcome the ongoing cooperation between Israel, the EU, and regional partners under the EU's Pact for the Mediterranean initiative. In his address to the UNGA last week, Palestinian Authority President Abbas continued to push for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. He incorrectly claimed that the PA ended its support for terrorism, once again revealing that the PA does not intend to fulfill this commitment. That is why the United States continues to maintain sanctions on the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organization. The PA must end its financial and ideological support for terrorism, follow through on its commitments, and enact its long-promised reforms. As President Trump stated, the United States opposes Israeli annexation of the West Bank. Stability in the West Bank is vital for Israel's security and aligns with our goal of achieving peace in the region. We must collectively work to ensure the well-being of Israelis, Palestinians, and all those living throughout the region. We share, however, the concerns of other Security Council members regarding economic instability in the West Bank and the need for economic opportunities for Palestinian residents. Yet, some UN member states have chosen to enact or propose measures that target businesses in parts of Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank. As Secretary Rubio said, we do not want to see any destabilizing activity in the West Bank at this moment, as it could have implications on our ability to make progress with regards to President Trump's Gaza peace plan. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the United States for that statement. I now give the floor to Latvia.

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank Acting Special Coordinator Ramez Alagbaro for his informative briefing. And I also wish to thank Mr. Maaz Inan and Mr. Aziz Abou-Sarah for their contribution and for demonstrating through their personal experience that the path to peaceful coexistence is possible. President, the situation in the West Bank continues to deteriorate at an alarming pace. Mounting settler violence, forced illegal displacement, house demolition, uprooting of livelihoods, movement restrictions, and limited access to essential services are putting a growing pressure on Palestinian communities. The ongoing escalation has intensified security challenges also for Israelis. and we deplore the continued deadly attacks on civilians across the West Bank. Terrorism and violence against civilians are unacceptable under any circumstances. The annexation narrative, as well as incitement of extremism and violence expressed by some government officials and leaders, creates fertile ground for aggressive actions and polarization, hindering Israel's own long-term security interests. The current trajectory in the West Bank does not lead to peace and stability. The recent announcement of additional tenders for 2,147 housing units in the E1 area further accelerates Israeli settlement expansion, which is illegal under international law. Coupled with road infrastructure inaccessible to Palestinians and extended administrative and enforcement powers, These settlements deliberately fragment the West Bank and undermine the viability of two-state solution. International law, international humanitarian law, and Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2334, must be respected. And we call on Israel to address rising settler violence in the West Bank, ensure accountability for assaults and killings, halt settlement expansion, including in the E1 area, and fully respect all of its legal obligations and commitments, including the historic status quo arrangements governing the holy sites in Jerusalem. Mr. President, Madam President, stability in the West Bank requires effective, accountable, and unified Palestinian governance that provides an alternative to violence. It is important to continue supporting the Palestinian Authority. The measures contributing to prolongation of the Palestinian Authority's fiscal crisis and the destabilization of the Palestinian economy are deeply concerning. We call on Israel to ensure that the Palestinian banking sector can operate unobstructed and to release withheld tax revenues, allowing the Palestinian Authority to meet its budgetary obligations, pay public sector salaries, and provide essential services. A functioning, credible, and effective Palestinian Authority is in the interest of both Palestinians and Israelis. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority must continue to fulfill its commitments and pursue meaningful, comprehensive reforms. And we do support the holding of free, fair, transparent, and inclusive elections in Palestine. Credible elections are essential for strengthening the legitimacy of Palestinian governing institutions both among Palestinians themselves and in their engagement with Israel. The participation of Hamas in the future Palestinian governing structures is unacceptable. Turning to Gaza, we remain deeply concerned by the lack of tangible progress in Gaza and the continuing civilian casualties. The comprehensive peace plan proposed by the US President Trump and endorsed by Resolution 2803 provides a clear and realistic path to achieve peace and stability in the region, and it needs to be fully implemented. With winter approaching, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is becoming even more critical. The precarious state of Gaza's already fragile healthcare system is particular cause for concern. Essential winterization and shelter materials continue to face severe restrictions on entry. And we reiterate the urgent need for the rapid, safe, and unimpeded entry of humanitarian assistance and essential supplies. sorry, essential equipment at scale, including winterization materials, medical and laboratory supplies, and other items necessary to sustain essential services and ensure dignified living conditions. In conclusion, Madam President, a political perspective encompassing Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, governed in the future by a single, legitimate, and reformed Palestinian Authority is the only way to sustainable peace. A secure Israel and a viable democratic Palestinian state are mutually reinforcing objectives. And for this perspective to be realized, the international community must continue and intensify its efforts towards the implementation of the two-state solution as defined in Security Council resolutions and the New York Declaration. As restated at last week's high-level ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance, Latvia reaffirms its commitment to this shared objective. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Latvia, and I give the floor to the representative of Colombia.

Thank you, Madam President. The Security Council cannot consider the situation in Gaza if it does not consider what happened over the last three years too. Doing that, conducting that assessment would simply prompt us, or overlooking the last three years would lead us to circular solutions. Today, this conflict is untenable. There are legitimate concerns on both sides, national security concerns, that is, but there are also humanitarian concerns to address.

Regardless of the mounting pressures and the geopolitical and national interest at stake, we must all exercise wisdom here. Beyond the expectations of what Colombia would have to say, it is important to clarify that when it comes to the Security Council, the Colombian mission to United Nations represent solely the interest of the Republic of Colombia according to the constitutional oath that the one speaking took. As such, Colombia makes an unequivocal condemnation to terrorism along with its most recent development in the region, narco-terrorism associated not merely to the use of drug trafficking to finance terrorism, but mostly with the use of destabilizing proxies. Thinking that Gaza conflict is only a conflict between two nations is at best naive and at most a clear misunderstanding of the conflict. It is unmistakably clear for Colombia that Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Yidis are all terrorist organizations. Colombia recognizes unequivocally the right of the state of Israel to protect the lives of its citizens and the national security elements that drive the critical infrastructure of any nation. Still, the humanitarian situation is undeniable. Colombia also recognizes the humanitarian situation in Gaza, more so, given Colombia's longstanding tradition of more than one century concerning the respect of international humanitarian law. The Republic of Colombia reminds the importance to observe the principle of proportionality in any conflict. In this context, Colombia supports peaceful solutions to the conflict in Gaza. In particular, we support the efforts of the United States to bring peace to the region, and we strongly support the implementation of the Security Council Resolution 2803 of 2025, along with the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict.

Madam President. The right of any nation to defend its national security, to dismantle terrorist organizations, and to protect the rights of civilians that are particularly vulnerable are not rights that only apply to some. Articles 39 and 40 of the UN Charter compel Colombia to call upon the Security Council and the United Nations in general and upon all parties to the conflict to prioritize and protect the lives of children and to show particular adherence to the Geneva Convention of 1949 and its additional protocol of 1977 pertaining to the protection of civilians and particularly to the exercise of the principle of distinction. We stand today before a choice which is appearing as one that we will have to make, one between national security and humanitarian protection. We agree with a number of the delegations here present. After having heard the briefers' briefings, we now wish to state that, however, these two interests are not mutually exclusive. Both can and must be protected.

Colombia asks all leaders involved to exercise wisdom, not merely for the people they represent, but also for the humanity they will leave behind. There are moments in history where the character of the leaders usually meet and defines the future of their nations. Unmistakably, we believe we face such a moment. Thank you, Madam President.

I thank the representative of Colombia and I give the floor to the representative of Bahrain.

Madame President, this session is held following a week that has witnessed a number of high-level meetings and events. They have all underlined the urgent importance of the Palestinian question on both regional and international agendas. would like to thank Mr. Lavrov, the acting special coordinator, and Mr. and Mr. Aziz Abu Sara for their briefings and their valuable visions. In this vein, I would like to highlight the following. First, the Kingdom continues to follow up with concern the developments in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, particularly the continued expansion of settlements, settler violence, and unilateral measures that would undermine trust and prospects for a two-state solution. In this vein, the Kingdom stresses the need to uphold international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2334. We must refrain from taking any steps that might undermine political and diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing peace. The Kingdom also reiterates the importance of respecting the historic and legal status quo in the city of Jerusalem and its holy sites. We must avoid any step that might lead to an escalation of tension or undermine prospects of peace and coexistence. The Kingdom of Bahrain underlines the need to fully respect international law, including international humanitarian law. fully and without selectivity. We must ensure the comprehensive implementation of all relevant Security Council resolution on the Palestinian question, including the full implementation of resolution 2803, supporting recovery, reconstruction, and the provision of conditions conducive for a genuine political process leading to the implementation of the two-state solution. At the same time, the Kingdom stresses the importance of preserving the current political and diplomatic momentum and build upon them. This will come through the continued implementation of resolution 2803, while supporting the efforts of the Moldov Peace to ensure the maintenance of the ceasefire and humanitarian access. We must also support recovery and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, while promoting the Palestinian state institutions and establishing conditions conducive for a credible and serious political process to implement the two-state solution. The Palestinian people are the most affected from the continued multi-dimensional humanitarian crisis that has lasted for over eight decades. The Kingdom stresses the need to lift all obstacles before humanitarian medical assistance. They must reach those in need in Gaza and the West Bank adequately, immediately, and sustainably. This must be an urgent priority that cannot be delayed. This is a shared international responsibility. In this vein, the Kingdom of Bahrain commends the humanitarian effort of all UN agencies without exception. We also appreciate the effort of all international governmental and non-governmental organizations undertaking relief effort in the Palestinian territories, despite the challenges on the ground and on the procedural level. The Kingdom renews its commitment to translate its principled position towards the Palestinian people into tangible humanitarian initiatives via the Royal Humanitarian Foundation. This comes in addition to our support to humanitarian and development projects in the service of Palestinian refugees, including under the auspices of the UNRWA. Third and finally, the Kingdom of Bahrain stresses that there can be no sustained and comprehensive peace in the region without the two-state solution. We renew our principled position in support of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian State along the lines of the 4th of June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, a Palestinian State living in peace and security along the State of Israel. This should uphold the inalienable rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, with a state enjoying full-fledged membership in the United Nations. Thank you, Madam President.

I thank the representative of Bahrain. I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.

Madam President, we are grateful to the acting special coordinator for the Middle East peace process Mr. Ramiz Alakbarov, for his detailed analysis of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories in the context of the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334. We carefully listened to the representatives of civil society. Today's Security Council meeting is taking place on the last day of high level week of the 81st session of the General Assembly. At the rostrum, practically all heads of foreign delegations paid particular attention to a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian situation, based on the international legal basis, with its key principle being two states for two peoples. It is also important that on the sidelines of High-Level Week, a number of significant high-level events took place on the Middle East peace process with broad participation of UN Member States. The unified position of the global majority that there is no alternative to a two-state solution confirms the crucial importance of settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the interest of swift stabilization of the situation throughout the entire Middle East. Unfortunately, not all States were able to enjoy the right to participate in person in the General Debate of the General Assembly and ministerial conferences. The United States, in violation of its obligations, once again refused to issue visas to the Palestinian delegation headed by President Mahmoud Abbas. Madam President, Mr. Ramiz Al-Bakkar's assessment of the situation in the OPT bears witness to the ongoing dangerous trends that undermine political and geographical basis of the two-state solution. The Israeli authorities, by ignoring the provisions of UN Security Council resolutions, have consistently been bolstering administrative and legal control in the West Bank, including Western Jerusalem. Construction of new and expansion of existing settlements is occurring at record rates. Despite the indignation and rejection of this by the international community, the Israelis are approving new settlement plans, including the provocative E1 project, whose implementation would carve up the Palestinian territory into two. Of particular concern is the uptick of settler violence against the Palestinian inhabitants of the West Bank. In accordance with the regular reports of the UN Secretary-General, such attacks often happen with the connivance or even with the support of the Israeli armed forces. Of course, we are very concerned by reports of attacks by Palestinians against Israeli civilians as well. However, as far as we can tell from open sources, the number of such incidents cannot be compared with the number of attacks by settlers in the West Bank. We would like to highlight that a comprehensive and consistent path taken by Israel to create irreversible realities on the ground is a gross violation of 2334. I'd like to remind you that we're not talking about a historic document, rather an existing resolution that, as some of our Western colleagues like to say, was adopted without objection. The key demand adopted 10 years ago by the Security Council to Israel is still pertinent and is still binding in nature. West Jerusalem must promptly and fully end all settlement activity in the OPT. Madam President, we cannot ignore the woeful situation in another part of the OPT in the Gaza Strip. We, of course, acquainted ourselves with the recent briefing by the Board of Peace on the sidelines of the High Level Week and the latest promises to rebuild Gaza as soon as possible by achieving far reaching projects. We do not question the importance of such initiatives. However, it's clear that to achieve them, the most important thing needs to be attained. Calm on the ground. The reality today in Gaza is such that despite the formal entry into force of the ceasefire, civilians are dying every day in Gaza and the number of killed since last October as a result of Israeli strikes has exceeded 1,400 people. Israel is still imposing severe restrictions on the provision of humanitarian goods, both through the arbitrary exclusion of a number of goods being categorized as dual use, and also through a lack of desire to renew the work of all crossing points on Gaza's perimeter. Prospects for the Board of Peace's plan to achieve the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, those prospects look bleak. In particular, after the public refusal by West Jerusalem of the roadmap proposed by the High Representative on Gadda involving staged laying down by Hamas of its arms in conjunction with a withdrawal of IDF units. In other words, for almost a year now, elements of the key elements of the peace plan are still just on paper. It's paradoxical, but a fact. Israel, despite its status as one of the founding states of the Board of Peace, continues to hamper implementation of the complement comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict on which, frankly, the Board of Peace was established, the US's Board of Peace. Russia is not a part of that organization. However, we do note that sensible voices from the Arab Muslim 8 that are in the Board of Peace are being raised, insisting that West Jerusalem in good faith comply with its obligations. Our country, in turn, remains open to cooperate and coordinate with our Arab friends and other interested parties in the interests of a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian situation. We are convinced that there is no alternative to a two-state solution, the implementation of which will help to bring lasting peace and security to all peoples in the Middle East. I thank you.

I thank the representative of the Russian Federation, and I give the floor to representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Madam President, the Democratic Republic of the Congo thanks you for convening this meeting devoted to the situation in the Middle East. also are grateful for the information that has just been furnished to us. We wish to convey our gratitude to the Acting Special Coordinator and Resident Coordinator at the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Mr. Remy Alagbarov, and we wish to laud the unstinting efforts on the part of the United Nations and all actors working to bring about peace in the region. We have continued to closely follow and indeed closely listen to the moving accounts from civil society representatives. We reaffirm our commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter and to the endeavor to settle disputes in a peaceful fashion. It is in this spirit that we reiterate the fact that we attach the utmost importance to the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2334, just as we do to the fulfilment of obligations pursuant to international law. This resolution, in our view, remains a crucial component of the broader framework established by the Council to preserve prospects for a lasting peace and prospects for the peaceful settlement of the Middle East question. It is vital that commitments made within this organization continue to guide our collective action always. We must act with restraint and a sense of responsibility, with these engagements as our lodestar. In this connection, we recall that compliance with relevant Security Council resolutions constitutes the very foundation of our organization's credibility. However, developments that have unfolded on the ground over the reporting period demonstrate the extent to which it remains crucial to preserve conditions which can enable the restoration of trust and keep channels of dialogue open. The Democratic Republic of the Congo consequently encourages all parties to demonstrate restraint and to avoid any steps which could cause the prospect of a negotiated solution to ebb yet further still. President, my delegation remains particularly attentive to the situation of civilians. It is for this reason we condemn all violence targeting civilians, and we reaffirm the need to heed the legitimate security concerns of all peoples. The human suffering which continues to drag on in the region is a stark, unflinching reminder to us all that behind political and diplomatic considerations are women, men and children who aspire quite simply to live in security, dignity and peace. The protection of civilians must, as such, remain at the heart of our common concerns. We also reaffirm the importance of safe, rapid and unfettered humanitarian access to the people in need thereof. In this connection, we hail the work done by the United Nations and by humanitarian organizations. Their efforts deserve our support. We are convinced that peace can only be forged through dialogue. Forging that peace requires the creation of fora for negotiation and it also requires efforts to build trust and to gradually create the conditions which will allow parties to come closer to a political solution. It is for this reason that the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to keep faith in the prospect of a political solution. The international community must remain committed thereto. Bringing that solution to fruition will undoubtedly require patience, perseverance and, above all, renewed political will. It will also require that the international community remain engaged, united and acutely cognisant of the aspirations of all people concerned. At this juncture, it is, in our view, more important than ever before to preserve the language of diplomacy and to keep channels for dialogue open. Our Council has a specific, particular responsibility in this regard. It is incumbent upon the Council to continue to encourage restraint, to support mediation efforts, and to contribute to the creation of an environment propitious to the resumption of a credible political process. The Democratic Republic of the Congo reaffirms, for its part, its readiness to support any sincere initiative aiming to ease tensions mitigate the suffering of people and to bring parties closer to a lasting peace. We remain convinced that, even at times when divides seem unbridgeable, diplomacy must continue to forge a path towards understanding and peace. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I now give the floor to the representative of Panama.

Thank you, Madam President. Sanamast is grateful for the convening of this quarterly meeting on the implementation of resolution 2334 of 2016. We are grateful for the detailed briefings furnished to us by Mr. Ramiz Alagbarov and by the representatives of Interact International on the part of civil society. find huge value in listening to their experiences and prospects when our goal is to move towards peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Almost 10 years after the adoption of resolution 2334, its provisions remain entirely applicable, and its full implementation by all parties remains an obligation which must be fulfilled without delay. The situation in the West Bank remains a source of grave concern, particularly in light of the continuation of measures and practices which run counter to international law and the relevant resolutions of this Council. Facts and acts on the ground demonstrate that this year there has been an uptick in demolitions, evictions, movement restrictions, and episodes of violence. These dynamics exacerbate the immediate humanitarian consequences. However, they also increase the fragmentation of territory and gradually erode the necessary conditions for the achievement of a negotiated political solution. Panama is of the view that it is counterproductive to continue actions and measures liable to alter the territorial and demographic reality in the West Bank. The implementation of resolution 2334 requires the avoidance of unilateral measures liable to fan the flames of tension and reduce the space available for a negotiated solution. Time, in this context, is not neutral. For as long as there is no credible political process which allows the achievement of a lasting solution events on the ground do and will continue to worsen the conditions in which this process will one day have to unfold. Turning to Gaza, we will soon mark one year since the announcement of the ceasefire of the 10th of October 2025. Although fragile, this ceasefire has made it possible to partially alleviate one of the most devastating humanitarian situations seen this century. However, the events that continue to be recorded in the Gaza Strip demonstrate that the ceasefire, although crucial, cannot in and of itself stand as a sustainable solution for Gaza. Since the announcement of that ceasefire and between that announcement and the middle of this month, 1,394 Palestinians have died and 4,991 have been wounded. That constitutes an average of approximately four deaths a day and 14 wounded a day. It is true that colossal needs remain in terms of accommodation, health, water, and sanitation. And a significant proportion of the population continues to depend on humanitarian assistance. However, coordination between Israeli authorities, the United Nations, and other humanitarian organizations has made it possible to continue the entrance and distribution of essential assistance, particularly food. In spite of the devastation wrought, almost 97,000 students were able to return to classrooms in the first week of the 2026-2027 school year. This reminds us that rebuilding Gaza also means rebuilding schools, restoring services and institutions, and above all, offering prospects for the future. in light of the above it is vital in Panama's view to preserve and strengthen the ceasefire and to Forge ahead with the implementation of security Council resolution 2803 that resolution supported the Gaza PE peace plan spearheaded by the US the next stage of this plan must allow progress with the effective reconstruction of Gaza its demilitarization the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces legitimate security guarantees for Israel and a reformed and unified Palestinian government without the participation of Hamas. Moreover, Panama reiterates its full support for the work being done by United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations in bitterly difficult conditions. Humanitarian personnel and UN facilities must be protected. And All parties at all times must guarantee full, safe, sustained and unfettered humanitarian access. President, Panama insists that the future of Gaza cannot be conceived in isolation from the West Bank. Both form part of one single territorial, political and social reality. Consequently, as efforts spearheaded to consolidate stability in Gaza, we must avoid seeing the situation in the West Bank worse and yet further still. We must preserve the conditions necessary to make sure that we can move towards a negotiated political solution which fully encompasses both realities. Discussions held during High-Level Week once again made patently clear the need to move towards a political solution to this conflict, despite the great deal of time that has elapsed, unfortunately, this conflict seems interminable and seems to remain untouched by the resolutions and actions on the part of this Council and immune to the plans and efforts underway to bring about peace. After so many years, it is insufficient to simply reiterate what the path forward must be. We must rally efforts to forge a political path which is credible to achieve our goals. Panama will continue to encourage efforts designed to champion with a sense of resolve a negotiated political solution, efforts which will make it possible to close this protracted cycle of violence and offer both Israelis and Palestinians the ability to live as neighbors in peace, security, and dignity. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Panama. I now give the floor to the representative of Greece.

And let me start by thanking Acting Special Coordinator Alakbarov for his briefing, as well as Mr. Mao Zhenon and Mr. Aziz Abu Sara for their powerful remarks. For yet another year, the High-Level Week of the General Assembly placed the Middle East peace question at the heart of international engagement. In his address to the General Assembly last week, the Secretary-General called for the force of law to prevail over the law of force. Today, we wish to echo this powerful message, one which must guide our collective efforts towards a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, especially at a time of concerning recent developments in both Gaza and the West Bank. Madam President, Greece remains deeply concerned by the continued expansion of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, as they constitute a major obstacle for the achievement of the two-state solution. The advancement of the E1 settlement plan risks further fragmenting the territorial contiguity of the West Bank. All settlement activities must cease. We are equally concerned by the continued violence perpetrated by settlers against Palestinians, including against Christian communities. All perpetrators of violence must be held accountable. Measures that seek to alter the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem must also cease. We also attach particular importance to the historic role of the Consulate General in Jerusalem, which have for generations formed an important part of the international presence in the city, and we underline the need to preserve their status and functions. Madam President, The situation in Gaza remains deeply troubling. A year since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2803 and the launch of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Conflict, we have made important progress. But the most difficult part lies ahead: implementation. We must now proceed with the 15-point roadmap presented by High Representative Mladenov, as it links security, governance, recovery and reconstruction. The disarmament of Hamas and other non-state armed groups must remain a major priority. Hamas can have no role in the future governance or security of Gaza. A sustainable settlement requires one legitimate authority and one legitimate security structure, while effectively addressing Israel's legitimate security concerns. We should therefore continue working on effective security arrangements, including the International Stabilization Force, with a clear mandate and clearly defined responsibilities. At the same time, humanitarian assistance and early recovery must advance in parallel. Housing, healthcare, water and sanitation, electricity, rubble removal and demining cannot wait. They need to be addressed swiftly. They are essential for restoring normal life, creating tangible hope for the Palestinian people, and consolidating stability. Greece is ready to contribute through the European Union's Team Gaza initiative, the UN Horizon Fund, and the World Bank. Palestinian ownership is equally essential. Palestinians must be at the center of the administration and reconstruction of Gaza. We support the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza during the transitional period. While our ultimate objective must remain the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under a reformed and empowered Palestinian Authority, which will be endowed with the necessary means to be functional. This is why we need to collectively sustain our political and financial support to the Palestinian Authority to move forward with the necessary reforms. Madam President, One year ago, the international community gathered here for the historic conference on the implementation of the two-state solution, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. The adoption of the New York Declaration, endorsed by the General Assembly by an overwhelming majority, demonstrated the breadth of international support for this objective. Last week, at the Global Alliance Ministerial Meeting for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, the international community once again underscored that there remains only one credible path towards lasting peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis: two states living side by side in peace and security, in accordance with international law and the relevant UN resolutions. The task before us is to ensure that this political horizon does not disappear while we address the immediate challenges in Gaza. It is now time for broad international consensus to be translated into concrete action. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Greece, and I give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Madam President, we thank Mr. Ramiz Alakbarov acting special coordinator for his comprehensive and valuable briefing. We also take note of the poignant remarks delivered by the civil society briefers. We empathize with their pain and loss. Last week, world leaders gathered for the high level week of the General Assembly. Across the many meetings and statements, one message emerged with unmistakable clarity. The two state solution remains the internationally agreed framework for the Palestinian question and the indispensable foundation for a just and lasting peace. Yet, this shared commitment is being undermined by deliberate actions by Israel, the occupying power, to create irreversible facts on the ground. In the occupied West Bank, including the East Jerusalem, illegal settlement expansion is being pursued as a deliberate strategy to alter the demographic and geographic character of Palestinian territory. The rapid advancement of the E1 project, with tenders for 3,401 housing units, threatens to sever territorial contiguity and undermine the possibility of a viable Palestinian state. Settler violence has escalated to alarming levels, with OCHA recording over 1,600 attacks this year alone. These are no longer isolated incidents, but organized assaults on Palestinian communities, enabled by impunity, endorsed by state apparatus. Together with demolitions, land seizures, forced displacement, and expanding Israeli administrative control, they are entrenching annexation and dismantling the foundations of peace. Madam President, we cannot affirm Palestinian statehood while allowing its territorial foundations to be destroyed. Action is required. Pakistan welcomes the sanctions measures announced by the United Kingdom, France and Canada concerning goods originating from illegal settlements, and the similar steps announced by other countries. These measures send an important message: unlawful settlement activity and those who sustain it must face consequences. Madam President, The situation in Gaza remains deeply disturbing. The approaching winter threatens to deepen an already dire humanitarian crisis, with the population confined to roughly 30% of Gaza's territory in deplorable conditions. Since the ceasefire, more than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli aggression, underscoring the urgent need to ensure effective protection for the population. Diplomatic efforts have established mutually reinforcing frameworks, including Security Council Resolution 2803, the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, and the New York Declaration. Pakistan supports their full, good-faith implementation. All relevant implementation mechanisms must reinforce these shared objectives and advance a credible political horizon. The immediate requirements are clear. All settlement activities must cease. Settler violence halted. Accountability ensured. Measures advancing annexation reversed. In Gaza, Resolution 2803 must be fully implemented, including full implementation of the ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, and reconstruction. Any attempt to forcibly displace population in West Bank and Gaza or usurp its territory must be unequivocally rejected. And the Palestinian Authority must be empowered, including through the release of withheld revenues. Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, constitute a single territorial unit. We must reject any attempt to sever or fragment their territorial unity and integrity. Our collective efforts must converge on a credible, time-bound, and irreversible political process ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent, sovereign, and contiguous state of Palestine on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital. The Palestinian people should not have to wait. Peace might not be able to survive another cycle of promises without implementation. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Pakistan, and I give the floor to the representative of China.

Madam President, I thank Acting Special Coordinator Alec Barrow for his briefing. I also thank Mr. Inon and Mr. Apsara for sharing with us the radiance of humanity that shines through their statements. Last week, During the general debate and other high-level meetings of the 81st session of the GA, the Palestinian question was one of the focal points addressed by member states. There was a clarion call by the broad UN membership for choosing ceasefire over conflict, dialogue over hate, and a two-state solution over occupation and annexation. The urgency of the relentlessly deteriorating situation on the occupied Palestinian territories should compel the international community to build greater consensus and translate those powerful voices into practical actions in order to prevent the two-state solution from fading away and help bring about a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement to the Palestinian question at an early date. I'll make three points. First, Every effort must be made to avert a collapse in the West Bank. As the occupying power persists in relentlessly accelerating the expansion of settlements, many Palestinians have seen evictions from their homes, their livelihoods lost, families torn apart, and loved ones killed. Settlements violate Security Council Resolution 2334 and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and as such, have no legal validity. Any act of annexation in the West Bank, de facto or otherwise, diminishes the viability of Palestinian lives and gravely undermines the territorial foundation of Palestinian statehood. China urges Israel to immediately cease and rescind its settlement projects, stop appropriating Palestinian homes and encroaching on Palestinian territories, and take effective measures to curb settler violence and ensure strict accountability for all cases of attacks. Israel should, without delay, return withheld tax revenues, remove unreasonable economic restrictions in the West Bank, and stop undermining the foundation on which the PA exercises its governance authority. Second. Every effort must be made to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Gaza is still under siege from all sides, with life-sustaining supplies running short, sewage left uncleared, and buildings reduced to rubble everywhere, in a humanitarian situation that is no longer tolerable. However, Israel continues its relentless attacks on Gaza, with each day producing new numbers of casualties. As long as bombs continue to drop and humanitarian access remains obstructed in Gaza, peace will not be able to take shape, nor will reconstruction get off the ground. We call on the relevant parties, Israel in particular, to sincerely and fully implement ceasefire obligations, immediately cease all military operations in Gaza, and take positive steps towards lasting peace. Israel must fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law by lifting restrictions on humanitarian access to allow shelter and requisite equipment to enter Gaza, and stop restricting and attacking UNRWA and other humanitarian organizations. Third, Every effort must be made to implement a two-state solution. The situation between Palestine and Israel before us today is fundamentally a result of Palestinians' right to statehood, right to life, and right of return being ignored for far too long. The ultimate way to break the cycle of conflicts between Palestine and Israel is to implement the two-state solution, restore the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and establish an independent Palestinian state. The international community must rally greater efforts to take irreversible actions and to revitalize the prospect of the two-state solution. We should all reject any attempt to alter the Palestinian territories and their demographic structures, and oppose any unilateral action to undermine the foundation of the two-state solution. We call for upholding the principle of Palestinians governing Palestine in advancing the governance of West Bank and the post-war reconstruction of Gaza. Any effort taken by the international community on the Palestinian question should help, not harm, the two-state solution. President, the general debate of this UNGA session is drawing to a close, but the international community should not break step in working for a settlement of the Palestinian question. China stands consistently on the side of peace, justice, and the conscience of humanity. and stands ready, as always, to make greater efforts for a political settlement of the Palestinian question and for lasting peace and stability in the Middle East. I thank you, President.

I thank the representative of China for that statement. I now give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.

I thank Acting Special Coordinator Al-Agbarov for his briefing, and I also thank Mr. Inon and Mr. Abu Sara for their powerful testimonies. and the compelling call for a future based on peaceful coexistence. Throughout high-level week, we heard a clear and repeated commitment to achieving a two-state solution. It remains the only credible path forward to a better future for Israelis and Palestinians, founded on lasting peace and security for both. Yet the two-state solution is at risk of being destroyed by the facts on the ground. Mr. President, My Prime Minister has been clear. The 7 October 2023 terrorist attack on Israel was monstrous, and he has condemned Hamas' actions in the strongest terms. The United Kingdom continues to stand with Israel in the face of ongoing threats, including from Iran. But my Prime Minister has also been clear that this does not justify the government of Israel's actions in the West Bank and Gaza. In the West Bank, Israel continues to expand settlements at pace, in violation of international law and contrary to resolution 2334. We are approaching a point of no return with the E1 settlement project. We welcome the reports that the deadline for bids may be delayed, but a temporary delay is not enough. It would sever East Jerusalem from the West Bank and endanger the viability of a two-state solution. This project must not go ahead. Alongside the rapid expansion of settlements, we have also seen an alarming increase in settler violence. The government of Israel must prevent violence in all of its forms and ensure proper accountability for perpetrators. Pardons and decisions not to bring charges against Israeli soldiers who have committed violent crimes sends the opposite message. The United Kingdom is acting with international partners to protect the two-state solution. Together with partners, we have announced our intention to legislate to ban the import of goods from illegal settlements and bring in sanctions against those who finance, support and facilitate illegal settlements. We have been clear that we view the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land as unlawful. We continue to support the Palestinian Authority's reform agenda and welcome its commitments to hold elections. Credible, transparent and reformed public institutions remain essential to a future Palestinian state. We welcome the recent extension by Israel of correspondent banking relationships, but we need urgent action to reverse policies which are crippling the West Bank economy. Further measures must include the release of clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority, ensuring sustainable and predictable banking arrangements, easing movement and access restrictions, facilitating trade, and improving access to employment and economic opportunities. Turning to Gaza, the United Kingdom remains fully committed to implementation of resolution 2803 and the 20-point peace plan. Hamas must decommission its weapons, dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, and completely relinquish its control of Gaza. The United Kingdom has pledged $117 million in humanitarian early recovery assistance this year, but aid cannot save lives if it cannot reach people. With another winter approaching, urgent action is needed. Last week, my Foreign Secretary, alongside Jordan and Qatar, brought partners together behind a call to action on humanitarian access and healthcare in Gaza. The focus must now be on turning that shared commitment into tangible improvements for people on the ground. Israel must lift all restrictions on humanitarian aid, stop the gilling in Gaza, and withdraw. Mr. President, we're at a critical juncture. The peoples of Israel and Palestine deserve a better future. This Council must do all we can to protect the two-state solution, bolster stability in the West Bank, and bring the suffering in Gaza to an end.

I thank you.

I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for her statement. I would now like to make a statement in my capacity as representative of France. I would like to thank the Acting Special Coordinator, Mr. Ramiz Alkbarov, and also the representatives of civil society, Mr. Maouz Inon and Mr. Aziz Abou-Sahra, for their briefings. They talked about the developments in the worrying situation, and they confirmed that there is a path for peace, for security, and even for reconciliation. that needs to be taken. A week ago, the French president, along with his UK, Canadian and Saudi partners, brought together at the UN several states to have an exchange of views on the implementation of the two-state solution, a year after the adoption of the New York Declaration and our recognition of the State of Palestine. In its wake, the French foreign minister As you said, it brought together representatives of Israeli and Palestinian civil society who work on a daily basis to preserve the two-state solution. What emerged from these exchanges is clear. The risk that we are facing is that all of these efforts be in vain the strikes on civilians and infrastructure in Gaza continue that the strip remains in ruins and that the West Bank room is irrevocably carved up that the two-state solution disappear and that peace and Regional Security become unattainable that is the risk we cannot accept this This would entail a grim future both for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to exist and to enjoy having a state, and also for Israel's security. And we reiterate our unfailing support for that. In the West Bank, we are seeing an Israeli policy of annexation, a flagrant violation of international law and Resolution 2334. This policy is reflected by the systemic expansion of settlements, including the E1 project, despite firm warnings. There is unbridled violence by the settlers and by the financial suffocation of the Palestinian Authority and by the soon irreversible erosion of the territorial continuity of a Palestinian state. Along with the UK and Canada, we've therefore taken additional measures to uphold our commitment to preserve the two-state solution before it's too late. We've banned the import of products from the settlements that are illegal under international law, and we have imposed targeted sanctions on those responsible for settlement activity and violence. We remain mobilized to adopt a similar ban at the European level. Preserving the two-state solution involves renewing Palestinian governance. President Abbas last year made important commitments in the area of reform that have been long-awaited. Substantial progress has been made and confirmed by independent bodies. This progress must continue. These reforms go hand in hand with the commitment to organize legislative and presidential elections soon. These are key for strengthening Palestinian governance and for renewing its legitimacy. France is ready to support this electoral process and would urge all parties to guarantee that it runs smoothly. In Gaza, we know what needs to be done. Hamas that is guilty of enormous terrorist attack needs to disarm. Israel needs to withdraw and the NCAG needs to deploy to provide for a reformed Palestinian Authority returning. A disarmament plan is on the table. We would urge Israel to take this opportunity and to make progress. The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic despite some progress. France is mobilized to meet the people's needs. We have allocated 345 million EUR in assistance since 2023 and we will continue our commitment. We will. remain committed to reconstruction efforts, in particular through the UN Horizon Fund, and we've granted 5 million to that. Israel needs to facilitate the entrance of humanitarian assistance and goods that are essential, even though they be dual use. One year after the New York Declaration, we need to reiterate that this is absolutely crucial for the Palestinians to rebuild. So the responsibility that the Council has is enormous, bringing back from the brink the two-state solution, and this is the only path forward for a lasting peace. I resume my function as President of the Council, and I give the floor to the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine. Thank you.

Mr. President, allow me at the outset to thank France for its leadership in the pursuit of just peace, including in its capacity as chair of the International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution together with Saudi Arabia. That leadership was evident in France's recognition of the State of Palestine and the dynamic it created with many countries joining this movement. We noticed that some expressed outrage for a mistake in the choice of words in President Macron's speech at the UN General Assembly. For the most part, they are the ones who are responsible for horrific crimes or advocates trying to distract attention away from the worldwide condemnation of Israel's actions. The New York Declaration embodies a clear vision for a future of freedom, justice, peace, and shared security and prosperity in the Middle East for all states and all peoples. It is those obstructing that horizon that are cause for outrage and that must be held accountable. Allow me also to thank Acting Special Coordinator Alakbarov for presenting the Secretary-General's report pursuant to Resolution 2334, which reflects the existential threat faced by the Palestinian people. Allow me, Mr. President, also to thank Aziz and Moaz for their testimonies and for their struggle for shared humanity and peace. The way they have transformed their loss into a call for blind vengeance, but for true justice and peace is an inspiration for all of us all. I thank you very much for being with us, and we salute your courage and commitment to humanity and peace. You are the great example that should inspire everyone for action, especially the Security Council. Mr. President, at this high-level week, comes to an end, as this high-level week comes to an end, the voice that was supposed to be silenced resonated everywhere. Palestine was everywhere. It was the biggest elephant in the UN building and maybe through the city of New York. An attempt was made to exclude Palestine, yet Palestine was heard. 152 states voted to ensure it, rejecting the denial of visas for the Palestinian delegation in violation of the obligations of the host country and ensuring its participation on equal footing with other states. The Palestinian people were seen and their rights reaffirmed by so many leaders from across the globe. And the Israeli prime minister who was able to attend, despite being subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, faced a walkout, and his government's policies faced rejection from countries across the world. Palestine remains a North Star for all those who believe in humanity. freedom, international law, and justice. Mr. President, nearly 10 years have passed since this Council adopted resolution 2334. Its provisions could not be clearer. It reaffirms the inadmissibility of the acquisition of land by force. It condemns all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. It reaffirms that Israeli settlements have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation under international law. It demands an end to all settlement activities. It reminds states of their obligations in this regard. Yet, report after report, we are confronted with developments moving in precisely the opposite direction. Settlements expand. Palestinian land is confiscated. Homes are demolished. communities are forcibly displaced, settler terror continues, and measures of annexations accelerate. We must be clear. Annexation is not simply a future threat. It is being advanced on the ground, piece by piece, through violence, settlements, infrastructure, displacement, land seizures. Now, faster than ever. This is true in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in the Gaza Strip. The E1 is a plan, is a culmination of this plan. Its aim is clear as spelled out by Israeli leaders. Kill the Palestinian state and with it, any prospect for peace. The Secretary General himself has rightly described E1 as an existential threat to the two-state solution. E1 must be stopped. I repeat, E1 must be stopped. In parallel, Israel is seeking the collapse of the PA. as that would provide a unique opportunity to push for the last stages of its plan for forcible displacement and replacement of our people and annexation of our land. Our principles must therefore remain unequivocal. Upholding the ceasefire, no occupation, No annexation. No forcible displacement. Reunification of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the Palestinian Authority. Fulfillment of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. And realization of the independence of the State of Palestine. Respect for the rights of all peoples and the sovereignty and security of all states. These are the principles enshrined in international law and reflected in the New York Declaration and the comprehensive plan, and that enjoy worldwide support. They must be implemented. While Palestine, Arab and Muslim countries, and the international community and the UN are doing their part in advancing such implementation, Israel continues not only obstructing progress, but violating the ceasefire and its obligations and commitments, including in relation to annexation. The whole world is in one direction, and Israel rebelling and rejecting the position of the whole world. Mr. President. Resolution 2334 was not adopted merely to express concern. Security Council resolutions cannot become optional, implemented by some, ignored by others, and remembered only every three months when this Council meets to document their violations. International law cannot operate according to the identity of the violator. Accountability cannot depend upon political convenience, and Palestine rights cannot remain perpetually contingent upon the occupying power's will and whims. For decades, the international community has condemned settlements, yet settlements have continued to expand. Condemnation without consequences has not produced compliance. The time has come to move from statements to measures, from condemnation to accountability, and from declarations of solidarity to implementation. This means accountability consistent with international law for those responsible for settler violence, forced displacement, and illegal settlement expansion. It means disarming settlers in line with UN Security Council Resolution 904. It means stopping E1, including by holding accountable government officials, businesses, and banks and making clear that further annexation measures will have consequences. It means protecting Palestinian civilians and communities facing displacement and violence. And it means strengthening Palestinian steadfastness and institutions through sustained political and financial support, as well as providing support for UNRWA and the wider United Nations humanitarian system. Mr. President, there is an additional legal reality this Council cannot ignore. In its advisory opinion of 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice found that Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful. The court also addressed the responsibilities of third states, all of you. States are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from Israel's unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining that situation. That's an obligation on you. articulated by the court. They must also distinguish in their dealings between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. They must uphold the Geneva Conventions. Those findings must have meaning in practice. No State should assist in maintaining an illegal situation created through occupation, settlement or annexation. No commercial relationship, financial flow or other form of assistance should contribute to the perpetuation of illegal settlements. And all states must support the realization of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. In short, no money, no trade, no arms to prolong the unlawful occupation and sanctions and measures to bring it to an end. We welcome the measures taken by states, including the United Kingdom. I was in meetings listening to the Prime Minister of the UK, President Macron, Prime Minister of Canada, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, and dozens of prime ministers, vice prime ministers in celebrating the one-year anniversary of the New York Declaration. They all are supporting this courageous position of sanctions to bring Israel into compliance to its obligation and the will of the international community and international law. We welcome the measures taken by states, including the United Kingdom, as I have said, in this regard, and call for amplifying this movement that is indispensable to stop the attempt to liquidate the Palestinian question and to destroy the two-state solution. Mr. President, the Palestinian people do not need another decade of reports documenting the disappearance of their land. They need protection. They need institutions sustained. They need the ceasefire upheld, humanitarian aid to flow in Gaza. and to rebuild Gaza. They need East Jerusalem and its Muslim and Christian holy sites protected. They need settlement and annexation stopped. They need accountability. And above all, they need freedom and the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence. This high-level week demonstrated that Palestine cannot be erased, cannot be ignored, cannot act as if Palestine does not exist. We are the giants in this building, in the house of peace and justice, the United Nations. Its people cannot be rendered invisible. and their rights cannot be extinguished by genocide, occupation, settlement, or annexation. So the question before us is no longer whether the international community has spoken. It has. The question is whether our words will finally have consequences. That is the difference between life and death, freedom and oppression, peace and war. That is what will determine what the future will reserve to a new generation of Palestinian and Israelis and for our region. A free Palestine is the gateway towards a peaceful Middle East. Free Palestine is the gateway for peace for all of us, including our neighbors, the Israelis. Thank you very much.

I thank the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine for that statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Israel.

Mr. President, I would like to thank Ramiz Alagbarov, Acting Special Coordinator for the Middle East, for his briefing. This month marks 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks here in New York. Nearly 3,000 people were killed, thousands more were injured, and many continue to suffer the consequences to this day. In the face of that horror, the international community faced a choice: remain silent or stand united against terrorism. This Council chose unity and action. Through Resolution 1373 and other measures, it strengthened the global counterterrorism framework and acted against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The message was unequivocal. When confronted with terrorism, the international community would stand together and fight it. Mr. President, next month, the State of Israel will mark three years since Hamas's October 7th massacre. On that day, 1,200 people were murdered, thousands more were injured, and 251 men, women, children, and babies, Israelis and foreign nationals alike, were taken hostage into Gaza. Over the years, dozens of countries have formally designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. including the United States and all 27 members of the European Union. Six current members of this Council are among them. Yet three years after October 7th, the Security Council has still not designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. That is not only incomprehensible, it undermines the very message this Council should send against terrorism. Mr. President, In the past few weeks, we have seen sanctions by some countries targeting the Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. And today, we heard many speakers talking about these Israeli communities and the so-called settler violence as the obstacle to peace. Let me be clear. Israel condemns all forms of violence in Judea and Samaria, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis. We take this incident seriously and act against those responsible. But the obstacle to peace has never been those Israeli communities. The fundamental challenge is the absence of a partner committing to peace. Should I remain this council of Hamas's charter that calls for the destruction of Israel and contains apocalyptic calls for violence against Jews, for example, He declares that the day of judgment will not come until Muslims fight and kill Jews. For years, Israeli representatives warned this Council about Hamas and called for its designation as a terrorist organization. Yet some of its members blocked it from even condemning Hamas after the October 7th massacre. Mr. President, last week on the sidelines of High Level Week, We heard calls to protect children in conflict. But nothing was said about Hamas child soldiers, the ones they openly recruit and praise. Recently, Hamas released a video honoring Suhayb Abul Abad, a terrorist who was killed on October 25. The video showed him firing an RPG at Israeli tanks, declaring his loyalty to Hamas, and posing with rifles. He was 16 years old when he died, and even younger when he joined the terror group. He was just one of many minors recruited by Hamas. And the exploitation does not end with recruitment. In a new video released a few days ago by the IDF, a terrorist is seen using a child to move weapons into a civilian home in central Gaza, using the child as a human shield. It is yet another example of the systematic exploitation of children by Hamas to advance attacks against Israeli troops and civilians in violation of international law. I have a copy of this video, which I will share with Council members at the conclusion of today's debate. If this Council is serious about protecting children, it must demand that Hamas stop recruiting children for terrorism. Mr. President, Despite claims made from the General Assembly podium just last week, Hamas operates not only in Gaza, but also in Judea and Samaria. In fact, since 1989, Hamas terrorists from Judea and Samaria have murdered more than 1,000 Israelis and injured over 3,300, from the wave of suicide bombing on Israeli buses, cafes, and other civilian sites in the 1990s and early 2000s, up until today. And behind much of this activity stands Iran. Tehran is responsible for more than half of the funds smuggled into Judea and Samaria to finance Hamas terrorist activity. And it is not just money. Israeli security forces have repeatedly intercepted Iranian weapons bound for Judea and Samaria, including drones, anti-tank rockets, and explosive devices. Iran is training, directing, and arming terrorist groups while providing millions of dollars every month to support their activities in Gaza and Judea and Samaria. Mr. President, Hamas is only part of the terrorist threat Israel faces in Judea and Samaria. The Palestinian Authority, which many see as the basis for a two-state solution, is supposed to prevent terrorism. Instead, it supports it. The Palestinian Authority continues its pay-for-slay policy, payment to terrorists and their families, despite claiming to have ended it. According to a U.S. State Department assessment reported to Congress, more than $150 million was paid in 2025 alone, with payment continuing through alternative channels, including salaries, pensions, and cash. Announcing reform is not the same as delivering it. It must be transparent and verifiable. End payment that reward terrorism, end incitement, and strengthen accountability. Mr. President, in July alone, Israel recorded 331 Palestinian terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria, including pipe bombs, stabbing, car ramming, arson, and stone throwing. Thankfully, Israel's security forces prevented over 500 more potential attacks. Behind every one of these attacks is a human being whose life can change in an instant. In the past week alone, Israelis faced multiple attacks. Last Wednesday, Neria Leiter, son of Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, was seriously injured in a car-ramming attack. He is currently fighting for his life. Ambassador Leiter has already lost another son, Yedidia, fighting Hamas in Gaza in November 2023. Last Sunday, 30-year-old French-Israeli citizen, Netanel Shukun, was shot and murdered in front of his 16-year-old son near a natural spring on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism. He leaves behind his wife and six children. That wasn't the only attack that Sunday. An Israeli who mistakenly entered a Palestinian village was attacked and injured. Additionally, three separate car-ramming incidents were reported the same day. This is only one day, but it reflects the daily security reality confronting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria. Mr. President, When this Council debates the obstacles to peace, it must confront the entire picture. Hamas must disarm in Gaza. Hamas and other terrorist organizations must be confronted in Judea and Samaria. Palestinian terrorism must be stopped. And the Palestinian Authority must undertake meaningful reform. Peace cannot be built while terrorism is tolerated, rewarded, or ignored. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Israel for her statement. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.