Wednesday 26 / February / 2025
New York: The UN Security Council held its regular monthly briefing and closed consultations on "The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question."
Addressing the meeting, Permanent Representative of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, asserted that Israel's strategy in the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and the broader West Bank is clear, which is to eradicate the Palestinian demographic presence and ultimately erase Palestinian geography.
Riyad emphasised that that the conflict cannot be resolved through military means, but only through a political solution. He underscored that the only way forward is to uphold the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and ensure its full implementation in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2735, while also halting the escalation and aggression in the West Bank.
In turn, Ambassador Amar Bendjama, Algeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, stated that the Israeli occupation has killed approximately 18,000 children in the Gaza Strip, and this demands an independent investigation.
He emphasised the importance of fully implementing the ceasefire agreement, stressing that the ceasefire must be upheld in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2735.
He further added that reconstruction efforts in Gaza require a comprehensive plan to ensure the Palestinian people can remain on their land.
Bendjama noted that the occupation has adopted a scorched-earth policy in Gaza and is now extending its aggression to the West Bank.
He condemned the recent decision by the Israeli occupation to seize $90 million in Palestinian tax revenues, asserting that weakening the Palestinian Authority is a dangerous path that threatens the very foundation of the Palestinian national project.
