UN Secretary General Guterres Affirms Palestinian Rights To State

JAKARTA - Secretary-General of the United Nations Ant Totalio Guterres on Tuesday emphasized that the Palestinian people have the right to dignity, justice, and self-determination, just like all other nations.

Speaking at a special meeting commemorating International Solidarity Day with the Palestinian people, Secretary General Guterres stressed that establishing a Palestinian state is a legitimate right.

Secretary General Guterres reiterated his call to end the illegal occupation of Palestinian soil, as confirmed by the International Court and the UN General Assembly, quoted from WAFA November 26.

Secretary General Guterres further reiterated calls for inevitable progress towards a two-state solution in accordance with relevant international law and UN resolutions, in which Israel and Palestine coexist peacefully and safely within recognized limits based on the pre-1967 line, with Jerusalem as the capital of the two countries.

On the occasion, Secretary General Guterres also highlighted the adverse effects of Israeli aggression against Gaza over the past two years, resulting in nearly 70,000 deaths, hundreds of thousands of injured, widespread infrastructure damage, and widespread hunger, disease, and psychological trauma.

He also highlighted the difficulties facing Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, amid Israeli military attacks, settlers' violence, expansion of settlements, evictions, and demolition.

Secretary-General Guterres later described the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached in October as a glimmer of hope, calling on all parties to fully comply and move to the next phase.

He praised the efforts of the mediators, particularly Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States, and stressed the need to translate diplomatic momentum into real progress on the ground.

The UN Secretary-General also underlined the urgent need for humanitarian aid without a hitch to reach Gaza on a large scale. He reiterated Israel's obligations as outlined in the recent International Court's advisory opinion and urged all member states to fulfill an emergency request of US$4 billion for the occupied Palestinian territories.

In this statement, Secretary General Guterres also again highlighted UNRWA's important war, calling on the international community to support its work in the West Bank, Gaza, and Palestinian refugees throughout the region.

Secretary General Guterres closed his statement reaffirming the UN's firm commitment to the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination, urging the international community to turn hopes into action.