Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya emphasized that the normalization of Israel's relations with Arab states should not happen at the expense of Palestine.
"The recent escalation of violence underscores a point we have consistently emphasized: while the normalization of Israel's relations with Arab states is undoubtedly a positive development, it must not come at the expense of the Palestinian people and cannot alone bring about comprehensive stability in the region. It is evident, as we witnessed during the adoption of the Jordanian resolution in this assembly on October 27, that this approach is shared by the leadership of numerous Arab, Muslim, and other nations," he expressed during the 10th emergency special session of the UN General Assembly (GA) on the protection of the Palestinian people, which was reconvened upon request from several countries, including Russia.
The diplomat highlighted the paradoxical situation in which the international community acknowledges the illegality of Israeli actions in the occupied Palestinian territory, yet the Western world tends to overlook the fact that the current escalation is, in part, a result of "West Jerusalem's settlement policy and systematic restrictions on the rights of the Palestinian population to access their holy sites."
"It is encouraging that [UN Secretary General] Antonio Guterres did not shy away from stating this during the open debate of the Security Council on the Middle East on October 24. He rightly pointed out that the current surge in violence 'did not happen in a vacuum.' Unfortunately, his remarks faced immediate, unwarranted criticism from Israel, which appears to prefer rewriting history, commencing it on October 7, 2023," Nebenzya added.
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which was formulated by a group of Arab states and presented by Jordan. The vote saw 120 countries in favor of the resolution, 14 against, and 45 abstentions. Notably, an amendment put forth by Canada, which aimed to condemn Hamas, did not garner enough votes for inclusion.
This resolution comprises 14 key points. The first point emphasizes the urgent need for a humanitarian ceasefire. It further calls for all parties involved to adhere to international humanitarian law, provide immediate essential resources to the Gaza Strip, release all civilians, ensure unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, and withdraw the Israeli authorities' order to relocate the Palestinian population and UN personnel to the southern part of the enclave.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS