Mr. President:
Once again displaying a double standard that seems to know no bounds, the U.S. government has placed itself on the wrong side of history. With its most recent veto and in total isolation, this country no only prevents the Security Council from acting, but also hinders the steps that could be taken to achieve peace and protect civilians in Palestine.
If that country were truly interested in contributing to mediation efforts to reach a permanent and lasting ceasefire agreement, the political, military, logistical and financial support to Israel would immediately cease. It would also refrain from insisting on plans to exterminate the Palestinian civilian population.
With its antidemocratic veto power, rather than contributing to international peace and security, it once again guarantees protection and impunity to Israel, the occupying power. Its complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian people is one of the saddest and most shameful chapters in human history.
Mr. President:
How many more innocent civilian lives, including those of children and women, must be lost due to aggression, apartheid, and crimes against humanity against the Palestinians, before the international community’s call is translated into practical action?
We cannot ignore Israel's massacre of Palestinians, its systematic attacks, bombings, and destruction of civilian infrastructure, in flagrant violation of the international humanitarian law.
We strongly denounce the continued usurpation of Palestinian territories and the expulsion of their population from their lands. Israeli colonist settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity and are a flagrant violation of international law.
Mr. President:
It is impossible to achieve peace in the Middle East without a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian question. To this end, an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza is imperative and urgent, and the realization of a two-state solution, which allows the Palestinian people to have an independent and sovereign state within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and also guarantees the right of return for refugees.
Similarly, Palestine must be admitted as a full member state of the United Nations without further delay.
The Occupying Power must urgently allow sufficient and unrestricted humanitarian aid to be delivered to Palestinians and authorize the vital work of UNRWA.
We hope the "High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution," resumes as soon as possible. We regret that it has been postponed in view of the extremely delicate situation in the Middle East as a result of Israel’s attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran, in flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the International Law, including the principles of sovereignty and the non-use or threat of use of force against the territorial integrity of any State.
We reiterate that the aggressive policies of the State of Israel and its reprehensive and irresponsible acts are only possible because of the guaranteed support of the United States government, which endangers regional and international stability and security, with unforeseeable consequences for humanity.
Cuba reaffirms its solidarity with the people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, warns of the danger of further escalation in the region and of a major conflagration. Cuba calls on the international community, particularly the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations, to fulfill their primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security and to put an immediate end to this aggression and the impunity with which the Zionist regime acts, responsible for the ongoing genocide against Palestine.
The Palestinian cause can always count on the brotherhood and unalterable solidarity of the Cuban people.
The Palestinians deserve to live in peace. Let us act now to change the course of history and put an end to this genocide, as the only way to achieve peace for all the peoples of the region.
Thank you