Statement - Urgent Call for Concrete Actions
Official Statement: Urgent Call for Concrete Actions
The General Delegation of Palestine welcomes the collective international efforts aimed at halting Israel’s ongoing genocidal assault, forced displacement, and annexation targeting our people, our land, and our inalienable rights. This includes the joint-statement of over 20 countries, including Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, demanding the full resumption of humanitarian aid into Gaza, accusing Israel of politicising the delivery of essential food and medicine to starving Palestinian civilians, and rejecting annexation and ethnic cleansing through forced displacement. However, words and condemnations are not enough at this critical and intolerable stage. Over two million innocent civilians are at imminent risk of death by starvation and lack of essential healthcare due to Israel’s inhumane and unlawful military campaign.
We urge the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand governments to take concrete actions to ensure accountability for war crimes and towards immediate recognition of the State of Palestine as a means of safeguarding the two-state solution, in accordance with international law and resolutions of international legitimacy.
Israel’s leadership have made abundantly clear through their inflammatory rhetoric, violent incitement and brazen intransigence that they have no intention of stopping their crimes. It is equally clear that without a cost for such impunity, they will remain undeterred. The International community, including Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, must act now.
United Nations officials have warned that an estimated 14,000 babies in Gaza are at risk of dying from starvation within hours. UN Humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher referred to the limited aid trucks permitted to enter Gaza as “a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed” after nearly 3 months of Israel’s total blockade.
As stated by UN Secretary General Guterres: “The situation for Palestinians in Gaza is beyond description, beyond atrocious and beyond inhumane. A policy of siege and starvation makes a mockery of international law. The blockade against humanitarian aid must end immediately. This is a moment for moral clarity and action.”
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates continues to strongly reject and condemn any proposed expansion of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, and calls for urgent intervention and international protection of the Palestinian people.
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