Statement by
H.E. Mr. Majid Takht Ravanchi
Ambassador and Permanent Representative
of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
On “the situation in the Middle East including Question of Palestine”
Before the United Nations Security Council
New York, 19 January 2022
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Madam President,
The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory continues to deteriorate, posing a threat to international peace and security.
During 2021, through killing innocent people, including women and children, requisitioning the Palestinian people’s properties, seizure and demolition of their homes and their forceful eviction, the Israeli regime continued its oppressive and expansionist policies and unlawful criminal practices including grave and systematic violation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
According to OCHA, in 2021, 341 Palestinians were killed and 17,893 more injured. The Israeli security forces systematically kill the Palestinian children and in 2021, 86 Palestinian children were killed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the highest since 2014.
Only one example of brutalities of the Israeli regime was its 11-day all-out war on Gaza in May 2021, when Israeli forces killed 256 Palestinians, including 66 children and 40 women. This includes 13 members of an extended family including children, one as young as six months, who were killed and buried in the rubble of their own home.
These measures constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, for which the perpetrators of such crimes must be brought to justice.
Moreover, the seizure and demolition of Palestinian’s homes have increased in 2021 in comparison to years 2020 and 2019. 894 structures were demolished in 2021, which resulted in displacing 1,179 people.
By the same token, the Israeli regime continues its destabilizing and malicious activities in the region by consistent violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and by threatening openly to use force against other regional countries.
We condemn the Israeli malevolent policies and destabilizing activities, which is a clear threat to peace and security of the region.
We also condemn the convening of recent Israeli Cabinet meeting in the Occupied Syrian Golan and its statement on building new settlements there.
Obviously, this unlawful action constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the relevant UN resolutions, and is null and void. It has no legal effect on the status of the Syrian occupied Golan, which always remains an integral part of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.
Madam President,
The inaction of the Security Council has emboldened the Israeli regime to continue its crimes against the oppressed people of Palestine.
The Security Council must oblige the Israeli regime to put an immediate end to its systematic violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The Security Council must also compel the Israeli regime to end its occupation of Palestinian and other Arab territories.
In conclusion, the representative of the Israeli regime has attempted, once again, today to misuse this forum and made unfounded allegations against my country, which are hereby totally rejected. These groundless accusations are designed to distract attentions from atrocious brutalities committed persistently by the Israeli regime in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
It is indeed very ironic that a regime famous for its atrocities and apartheid policies, war crimes, crimes against humanity, attacking or threatening to use of force against its neighbors and beyond, a regime with an atrocious record of developing, producing, and stockpiling different kinds of inhumane weapons including the weapons of mass destruction, labeling others as threats to peace and security and preaching others to observe international law.
I thank you, Madam President.