Prince Faisal bin Khalid, second secretary at the Saudi UN mission in New York, also called for the lifting of sanctions and the blockade on Gaza, as well as the provision of essential humanitarian aid, emphasizing that depriving Palestinians of these basic human needs is a violation of international humanitarian law.
He was speaking at a plenary meeting in the General Assembly of the Economic and Financial Committee to discuss the “Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources.”
Prince Faisal began by aligning Saudi Arabia with the statements made by Jordan on behalf of the Arab group, and Oman representing the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, as well as Cuba speaking for the Group of 77 and China.
He expressed the Kingdom’s concerns regarding the Israeli occupation and its economic impact on the lives of Palestinians and of Syrians in the Golan Heights.
“The Palestinian cause was, and still is, the central cause for the Arabs and Muslims, and it is on top of the priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia when it comes to its external policy,” Prince Faisal said.
He added that the Kingdom has consistently stood by the Palestinian people in their pursuit of their land, legitimate rights, and the establishment of an independent sovereign state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international decisions, the Arab Peace Initiative and globally recognized resolutions.
He strongly condemned unilateral measures that undermine the two-state solution, calling for an immediate halt to such actions.
Prince Faisal stressed that achieving sustainable development in the Occupied Territories is intrinsically linked to the pursuit of justice, peace and security.
A just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue is essential to fulfilling the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people and Syrians in the Golan, including full sovereignty over their lands and resources, in line with international decisions, he said.
Prince Faisal highlighted Saudi Arabia’s substantial support for the Palestinian people through humanitarian aid and development programs.
The Kingdom recently donated $1.2 billion to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and $27 million last year.
Moreover, the Kingdom backs developmental projects in Palestine through the Saudi Fund for Development, providing close to $109 million for infrastructure projects, electricity, sanitation, communication and road construction.
Prince Faisal again called on the international community to uphold its responsibility to achieve peace and sustainable development in the region.
A resolution proposed by Russia calling for a “humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza and the release of “all hostages” has failed to receive enough votes to be adopted by the 15-member UN Security Council, with members who voted against it or abstained citing its failure to mention Hamas and condemn the group’s Oct. 7 attack on Israeli towns.
On Monday, Russia, China, the UAE, Gabon and Mozambique voted in favor, while the US, UK, France and Japan voted against. Brazil, Malta, Albania, Switzerland, Ecuador and Ghana abstained.
The resolution had been backed by the UN Arab Group of countries, whose ambassadors were all present at the council meeting.
A vote on a rival, draft resolution from Brazil was delayed until Tuesday, Arab News has learned.
Russia’s resolution, seen by Arab News, expresses “grave concern” at the escalation of violence and the deterioration of the situation, in particular the resulting heavy civilian casualties, underscoring the need for both populations to be protected.
It also expressed grave concern at the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called for “an immediate, durable and fully respected humanitarian ceasefire.”
The draft also condemns “all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism,” and calls for the “secure release of all hostages.”
Russia also called for the unimpeded provision and distribution of humanitarian assistance, including food, fuel and medical treatment as well as creating conditions for the safe evacuation of civilians in need.
Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, after the vote claimed the council had once again been held “hostage” to the “selfish intentions of the Western bloc of countries.”
He said: “Today, the entire world waited with bated breath for the Security Council to take steps in order to put an end to the bloodletting. But the delegations of the Western countries have basically stomped on those expectations. We believe that today’s vote in the Security Council is very, very demonstrative. It clearly shows who are in favor of a truce to stop the indiscriminate bombing and provision of humanitarian assistance and who is still in favor of blocking a single common message from the Security Council for purely selfish interests and political interests.”
Linda Thomas Greenfield, the US’ permanent representative to the UN, said that by failing to mention Hamas, Russia has dishonored the victims of the Oct. 7 attack.
“By failing to condemn Hamas, Russia is giving cover to a terrorist group that brutalizes innocent civilians. It is outrageous, it is hypocritical, and it is indefensible,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
She blamed Hamas as solely responsible for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and said “we cannot allow this Council to unfairly shift the blame to Israel and excuse Hamas for its decades of cruelty. Period.”
The US envoy said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the White House are engaged in “intensive discussions” with the Israeli government and countries in the region to secure the “immediate and unconditional” release of hostages and facilitate humanitarian access and relief.
“It is critical that civilians have access to essential food, water, medicine, and shelter. Let me repeat: It is critical,” Thomas-Greenfield said, as she called on countries in the region to allow “full, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access in Gaza — in line with the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence.”
Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s envoy, who voted for Russia’s resolution, reiterated her country’s condemnation of the murder of innocent Israeli civilians and the taking hostage of children, and said that Hamas does not represent the people of Gaza who are “suffering tremendously today.”
“And that is why Council unity is so desperately needed on this file,” Nusseibeh said, as she emphasized the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. “We believe this council should be able to find unity on two things: International humanitarian law must be upheld, indiscriminate attacks must be rejected and are unjustifiable, and the cycle of violence overall must end.
“The events of the last nine days have made it painfully clear that without a determined political horizon, the specter of bloodshed will continue to haunt both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Evoking the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, she said that “a life only defined by the absence of its antithesis, death, is no life at all.
“Palestinians and Israelis deserve not only to live which is the bare minimum, but to thrive, side by side in their own independent, prosperous and secure states.”
China’s UN representative Jhang Zun, who also voted in favor of Russia’s resolution, expressed regret that council members failed to vote on the draft which had garnered support from the UN Arab Group.
“Humanitarian issues should not be politicized,” he said.
The United Nations human rights office said on Tuesday that Israel’s siege of Gaza and its evacuation order for the north of the enclave could amount to a forcible transfer of civilians and be in breach of international law.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN human rights office, said Israel seemed to have made no effort to ensure the civilians temporarily evacuated in Gaza were provided with proper accommodation, as well as satisfactory conditions of hygiene, health, safety and nutrition.
“We are concerned that this order, combined with the imposition of a complete siege of Gaza, may not be considered as lawful temporary evacuation and would therefore amount to a forcible transfer of civilians in breach of international law,” she said.
“Those who managed to comply with the Israeli authorities’ order to evacuate are now trapped in the south of the Gaza Strip, with scant shelter, fast-depleting food supplies, little or no access to clean water, sanitation, medicine and other basic needs.”
The term “forcible transfer” describes the forced relocation of civilian populations and it is a crime against humanity punishable by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In separate comments, the World Food Programme said its food supplies in Gaza were running low but that it was stockpiling supplies in the Egyptian city of Al-Arish nearby.
Abeer Etefa, WFP Regional Communications Lead for the Middle East and North Africa, said they hoped “to cross as soon as the border access is granted.”
“We call for unimpeded access, safe passage to desperately needed humanitarian supplies to Gaza,” she said.
Trucks carrying supplies headed toward the Rafah crossing in Egypt, the only access point to the enclave outside of Israel’s control, though it was not certain whether they would be able to cross.
In addition to dwindling food and water supplies, Gaza’s health sector finds itself at a “breaking point,” said UN Special Rapporteur Tlaleng Mofokeng.
“Gaza’s medical infrastructure has been irreparably damaged and health care providers are working in a dire situation with limited access to medical supplies and conditions that do not allow them to provide timely and quality health care,” said Mofokeng, who focuses on the right to health.
Fuel reserves at all hospitals across Gaza are expected to last for an additional 24 hours only, according to the UN Palestinian agency UNRWA.
“The shutdown of backup generators would place the lives of thousands of patients at serious risk,” it said.
PALESTINIANS REPORT HEAVY SHELLING IN SOUTHERN GAZA
Palestinians in Gaza reported intense bombardments early Tuesday near the southern towns of Khan Younis and Rafah, where Israel ordered civilians to seek refuge.
Israeli bombs hit areas west and southeast of Khan Younis and west of Rafah, according to local reports. Thousands of people trying to escape Gaza are gathered in Rafah, which contains the territory’s only border crossing to Egypt, as international mediators press for a deal to allow aid in and refugees with foreign passports out.
Details of casualties were not immediately available.
