New York (United Nations), October 29, 2024 – Algeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Amar Benjama, on Monday called for an “immediate” and “permanent” ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
Speaking during an urgent UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East, convened at the request of Algeria, China, and Russia, Ambassador Benjama urged all Council members to enforce a ceasefire and work towards establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, while also ensuring the end of Israeli occupation across all Arab territories.
The Algerian diplomat highlighted that since Algeria assumed its seat in the Security Council in January, it had warned about “the risk of Israeli aggression in Gaza expanding across the Middle East.” Unfortunately, he noted, “this risk has now become a reality.”
“We are facing a regional conflict with dire consequences that could extend across the globe,” Benjama cautioned. He expressed regret over “the reluctance of some Council members to classify the current situation as a threat to international peace and security.”
Ambassador Benjama strongly condemned Israeli military operations, describing them as a blatant attack on international peace. He urged the Security Council to take decisive action to restore peace and security. The ambassador also reaffirmed Algeria’s unequivocal condemnation of the recent military strikes carried out by the Israeli regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“We express our full solidarity with Iran and condemn these attacks as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and a severe breach of the UN Charter and international law,” Benjama asserted.
The Algerian envoy stressed the international community’s responsibility to curtail Israeli occupation and de-escalate the conflict, which has plunged the entire Middle East into a spiral of instability.
He reminded the Council of Algeria’s previous stance following the Israeli airstrikes on Iranian diplomatic sites in Damascus last April, stating that genuine peace requires adherence to the principles of the United Nations and international law by all parties.
Benjama also warned that “double standards in the application of international law weaken the global legal system and undermine the credibility of this Council.”
He emphasized the importance of upholding international law without exception, declaring, “No one is above the law, and the Israeli occupying power must be held accountable for its actions.”
The ambassador further stressed the interconnected nature of the crises in the Middle East, asserting that “their root cause is well known to all – the Israeli occupation of Arab territories.”
He concluded by stating that while an immediate ceasefire is crucial to halt the violence in the short term, lasting peace can only be achieved by granting Palestinians their legitimate rights and ending the occupation of all Arab lands.
For further developments, visit DZWATCH.DZ.
Author: nor-eleslam
Keyphrase: Immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, Israeli occupation
