The United Nations has reiterated its unwavering commitment to the Palestinian people and their inalienable right to self-determination, emphasizing the urgent need for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
Speaking on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres at a special meeting held at the UN headquarters in New York to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Earl Courtenay Rattray, Head of the UN Chief’s Office, underscored the global body’s firm stance.
“We gather today to reaffirm a simple truth: the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, justice, and self-determination,” Rattray stated, adding that these rights have been violated at an unconscionable rate over the past years. He firmly asserted that “statehood is a right for the Palestinians” and reiterated the call for Israel to end its occupation.
“The United Nations will never give up on its commitment to the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination,” Rattray affirmed. He urged governments, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and individuals to join the UN in amplifying the voices demanding justice and peace.
The UN official highlighted the dire situation in Gaza, describing it as reduced to rubble with tens of thousands of lives lost, predominantly women and children. He also drew attention to the immense suffering of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, facing violence from Israeli forces and settlers.
Rattray stressed the imperative of ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza and called upon member states to urgently fulfill the pledge of providing $4 billion in aid to the occupied Palestinian territories.
The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, observed annually on November 29th, was established by the UN General Assembly in 1977 to raise awareness about the rights of the Palestinian people living under occupation. The date commemorates the anniversary of the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947, a decision that disregarded Palestinian self-determination and paved the way for the displacement of Palestinian refugees and the ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands.
