New York, October 20th, 2023.- Cuba warned today before the United Nations Security Council that there can be no peace if atrocious violations of International Humanitarian Law such as those committed by Israel, the occupying power, against Palestine are allowed.
"Israel's indiscriminate bombardment of the Palestinian population and the destruction of homes, hospitals and civilian infrastructure, as well as the deprivation of water, electricity and fuel services to the Palestinian population, must be stopped immediately", demanded Ambassador Gerardo Peñalver Portal, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Permanente Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, during the open debate on "Peace through Dialogue: Contribution of Regional, Subregional and Bilateral Agreements to the Prevention and Peaceful Settlement of Disputes".
The Cuban diplomat said that an immediate ceasefire is imposed, humanitarian aid access to the civilian population, while avoiding the forced displacement of Palestinians from the land that rightfully belongs to them.
Penalver Portal explained that, in order to promote peace, it was necessary to address the root causes of conflicts and their historical antecedents, as well as to promote dialogue, solidarity and international cooperation, based on the priorities identified by the States concerned.
"A world of peace can only be built on the basis of justice, assuming multilateralism as the only possible way to resolve conflicts, and settling our differences with total adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter and the International Law", he stated.
As part of the efforts to promote peace in Latin America and the Caribbean, Peñalver Portal alluded to the peace process in Colombia, and highlighted Cuba's pride in its contribution to these dialogues, a sign of its commitment to the promotion of peace in the region and the world.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations