Statement by H.E. Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi

Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

On “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”

Before the United Nations Security Council

New York, 26 October 2020

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In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Mr. President,

Seventy-five years ago, the United Nations officially came into being based on such inherent values as justice, equality, the dignity and worth of the human person and the rule of law, as well as essential principles such as the prohibition of the threat or use of force, along with noble objectives such as international cooperation in solving international problems and employing international machinery for the advancement of all peoples.

During the past 75 years, many nations have benefited from these principles. Nevertheless, unfortunately, the Palestinians have been deprived of such lofty goals despite the fact that the Palestinian question, as the world’s longest-lasting crisis, has been at the top of the agendas of the General Assembly and the Security Council since the creation of the United Nations.

As a result, during the past 75 years, the Security Council has been unable to end the decades-long occupation of Palestine, protect the very basic rights of millions of oppressed Palestinians at home and abroad or confront an occupying regime that has committed all four core international crimes, not once but several times.

As is  crystal-clear, the main reason behind the Council’s failure to fulfil   its duties with respect to the question of Palestine is the policies and practices of the United States, which, through violations of the peremptory norms and basic principles of international law, disregarding all standards of international conduct and contravening all principles of humanity and morality, as well as abusing its status as a permanent member of the Council, continues to completely, systematically and unreservedly shield the Israeli regime.

The decades-long inaction by the Security Council has helped the Israeli regime continue all its unlawful acts and inhumane practices with total impunity.

Today, the suffering of the Palestinian people has become manifold as a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as the intensification of oppressive measures by the Israeli regime, including its continued brazen insistence on further advancing its unlawful expansionist policies, a recent example of which was its decision to construct nearly 5,000 housing units in the West Bank.

The international community has a serious responsibility to do everything in its power to address this crisis and prevent its negative consequences for regional and international peace and security from further deteriorating.

As the body responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Security Council has a special responsibility in this regard. To prevent the persistent erosion of trust and confidence in the Security Council, it must act decisively in resolving the question of Palestine, in accordance with the principles of justice and international law.

The international community must also compel the United States to put an end to its irresponsible policy  of  unreservedly supporting the  unlawful acts  of the Israeli regime and its complete and systematic shielding of Israel against the Security Council’s criticism thus emboldening that regime to continue committing more crimes.

The Israeli regime must also be compelled to put an end to its continued construction and expansion of settlements as well as the sustained inhumane blockade of the Gaza Strip. The latter is more urgent given the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Palestinians’ dire need of medicine and medical equipment to treat the patients and to prevent further spread of the virus.

Furthermore, the Israeli regime must be compelled to end the occupation of all the Palestinian territories, of the occupied Syrian Golan and of parts of Lebanon, and to stop all its destabilizing activities in the region, including the systematic violation of the sovereignty of Syria and Lebanon.

I would like to reiterate that the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to support the just cause of the Palestinian people and the full realization of all their inalienable rights, including their inherent right to self-determination and to establish an independent Palestinian State encompassing the entirety of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

In recent years, it has been the standard practice of the Israeli regime to abuse Security Council meetings to accuse others and play the victim, seeking to distract attention from its oppressive practices and crimes against Palestinians and its destabilizing policies in the region. Likewise, the United States, by accusing others, attempts to distract attention from its irresponsible policies and military adventurism in the region. Such deceptive measures must not distract the attention of the Council from the reality that the Israeli regime, as the aggressor and occupier, is the main source of insecurity and instability in the Middle East and beyond and, with the unequivocal support of the United States, continues to commit all its crimes and brutalities.

I thank you, Mr. President.