Prime ministers, presidents, and different world leaders from all over the world gathered in New York Metropolis this month for the 79th session of the United Nations Common Meeting.
Battle in Gaza was one of many points that topped the agenda of speeches – listed below are some snippets.
UN Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres
The pace and scale of the killing and destruction in Gaza are in contrast to something in my years as secretary-general. Greater than 200 of our personal employees have been killed, many with their households.
Gaza is a nonstop nightmare that threatens to take the whole area with it.
The worldwide neighborhood should mobilise for a right away ceasefire, the rapid and unconditional launch of all hostages, and the start of an irreversible course of in the direction of a two-state resolution.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
In Gaza and the West Financial institution, we’re witnessing one of many biggest humanitarian crises in latest historical past, now spreading dangerously to Lebanon.
[Israel’s response in the wake of the Hamas attacks on October 7] has develop into a collective punishment for the whole Palestinian folks.
There are greater than 40,000 deadly victims, most of them girls and kids.
The fitting to defence has develop into the precise to revenge, which prevents an settlement to launch hostages and postpones the ceasefire.
US President Joe Biden
Harmless civilians in Gaza are additionally going by hell. 1000’s and 1000’s killed, together with help employees. Too many households dislocated, crowding into tents, dealing with a dire humanitarian state of affairs.
As we glance forward we should additionally deal with the rise of violence towards harmless Palestinians on the West Financial institution and set the circumstances for a greater future, together with a two-state resolution the place the world the place Israel enjoys safety and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, the place Palestinians stay in safety, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their very own.
I put ahead with Qatar and Egypt a ceasefire and hostage deal. It’s been endorsed by the UN Safety Council. Now’s the time for the events to finalise its phrases, deliver the hostages house, safe safety for Israel, and Gaza freed from Hamas’s grip, ease the struggling in Gaza, and finish this battle.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Because of the Israeli assaults, Gaza has develop into the most important cemetery for youngsters and ladies on this planet: Over 17,000 youngsters have been the targets of Israeli bullets and bombs.
In Gaza, not solely are youngsters dying, but in addition the United Nations system. The values the West claims to defend are dying, the reality is dying, and the hopes of humanity to stay in a extra simply world are dying – one after the other.
I’m asking you bluntly right here: Are these in Gaza and the occupied West Financial institution not human beings? Do youngsters in Palestine don’t have any rights?
Jordan’s King Abdullah II
It typically feels that there was not a second when our world was not in turmoil. And sure, I can’t recall a time of larger peril than this.
For almost a yr, the sky blue flag flying over UN shelters and faculties in Gaza has been powerless to guard harmless civilians from Israeli bombardment. So it’s no shock that each inside and outdoors this corridor, belief within the UN’s cornerstone ideas and beliefs is crumbling.
The cruel actuality many see is that some nations are above worldwide legislation, that international justice does bend to the desire of energy, and that human rights are selective; a privilege to be granted or denied at will.
Colombia President Gustavo Petro
That richest 1 % of humanity, the highly effective international oligarchy, is the one that enables bombs to be dropped on the ladies, aged, and kids of Gaza, Lebanon, or Sudan.
The ability of a rustic on this planet is not exercised by the kind of financial or political system it has or its ideology however energy is wielded in accordance with how a lot capability one has to destroy humankind.
That’s the reason we aren’t listened to after we vote to cease the genocide in Gaza. Despite the fact that we’re the vast majority of the presidents of the world and signify the vast majority of humanity, we aren’t listened to by a minority of presidents who can cease the bombing.
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Yearly I stand on this podium and start my speech by speaking concerning the Palestinian trigger, the absence of justice, the perils of believing that it may be uncared for, and the illusions of constructing peace with out a simply resolution.
The continued Israeli aggression for almost a yr is nothing however a results of the absence of a honest political will, deliberate worldwide failure to resolve the Palestinian situation with a simply resolution, and insistence of the occupying Israeli authorities to impose a fait accompli on the Palestinians and the world with all sorts of power.
… There isn’t a Israeli accomplice for peace through the present authorities’s tenure, and no peace course of happening, however somewhat a genocide.
The tip of the occupation and the Palestinian folks exercising their proper to self-determination is neither a favour nor a present from anybody. Sadly, the Safety Council has didn’t implement its ceasefire decision within the Gaza Strip and to chorus from granting the state of Palestine full membership standing within the United Nations regardless of the Common Meeting’s adoption of a decision supporting Palestine’s request for UN membership final Might.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
The violence the Palestinian persons are being subjected to is a grim continuation of greater than half a century of apartheid.
We South Africans know what apartheid appears like. We lived by it. We suffered and died beneath it. We won’t stay silent and watch as apartheid is perpetrated towards others.
In December final yr, South Africa approached the Worldwide Court docket of Justice searching for an order to forestall Israel from committing genocide towards the folks of Gaza.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
Over the previous yr, the world has witnessed the true nature of the Israeli regime. It has witnessed how this regime carries out atrocities in Gaza; and in eleven months has murdered in chilly blood over 41,000 harmless folks—largely girls and kids.
Its leaders label this genocide; the killing of youngsters, battle crimes, and state terrorism as “legit self-defence”.
They label the freedom-loving and courageous folks all over the world who protest towards their genocide as “anti-Semitic”. They label an oppressed folks, who’ve stood up towards seven many years of occupation and humiliation, as “terrorists”.
Belgium Prime Minister Alexander De Croo
Within the Center East, many years of dehumanising the enemy has led to a vicious cycle of violence, ensuing within the killing of over 40,000 folks in lower than a yr.
Early on within the Gaza battle, my authorities warned towards lack of respect for worldwide humanitarian legal guidelines on either side, and the disproportionate assault with blatant disregard for Palestinian civilian life.
We’ve been calling for a right away and lasting ceasefire for a lot of months, however at present it appears extra distant than ever. Hostilities must cease earlier than the entire area turns into engulfed in violence.
Motion speaks louder than phrases. Belgium has imposed a weapons embargo. We by no means ceased our help to UNRWA and different humanitarian organisations.
French President Emmanuel Macron
Israel’s battle in Gaza has gone on for too lengthy. The tens of 1000’s of Palestinian civilian casualties can’t be justified or defined away. Too many harmless folks have died and we mourn them, as nicely.
This battle should, subsequently, finish and a ceasefire have to be achieved as rapidly as doable, together with the discharge of the hostages and a large move of humanitarian help into Gaza.
It’s completely essential for a brand new part to start in Gaza, for the weapons to fall silent, for humanitarian employees to return, and for civilian populations to be protected.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Around the globe, extra fires are breaking out and burning with ever larger depth. Exacting a horrible toll in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, Yemen, and past.
I name on Israel and Hezbollah: Cease the violence. Step again from the brink.
We have to see a right away ceasefire to offer area for a diplomatic settlement, and we’re working with all companions to that finish. As a result of additional escalation serves nobody.
That is intimately linked with the state of affairs in Gaza the place, once more, we have to see a right away ceasefire. It shames us all that the struggling in Gaza continues to develop.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Can we, as human beings, stay silent whereas youngsters lie buried, beneath the rubble of their shattered houses? Can we flip a blind eye to the moms, cradling the lifeless our bodies of their youngsters? This isn’t only a battle; that is systematic slaughter of harmless folks; an assault on the very essence of human life and dignity.
The blood of Gaza’s youngsters stains the fingers of not simply the oppressors,ِ howeverِ additionally of those that are complicit in prolonging this merciless battle.ِ
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley
And let me be clear, we condemn the actions of Hamas on October 7, however we equally and strongly deplore the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, which is the results of the disproportionate use of power by Israel.
There’s no justification for it and that’s the reason treaties exist governing the principles of engagement for battle.
Chinese language International Minister Wang Yi
The query of Palestine is the largest wound to human conscience. As we communicate, the battle in Gaza continues to be occurring, inflicting extra civilian casualties with every passing day. Preventing has unfold to Lebanon; may should not take the place of justice.
Palestine’s long-held aspiration to ascertain an impartial state shouldn’t be shunned any extra, and the historic injustice suffered by the Palestinian folks shouldn’t be ignored any longer.
There should not be any delay in reaching a complete ceasefire, and the elemental approach out lies within the two-state resolution.
Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov
Pull quote: The homicide of Palestinian civilians by US weapons should cease.
All those that are nonetheless able to compassion resent the truth that the October tragedy is getting used for a large collective punishment of the Palestinians, which has turned out to be an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
The homicide of Palestinian civilians by US weapons should cease.
The supply of humanitarian cargoes to the enclave have to be ensured, the restoration of infrastructure have to be organized and, most significantly, the implementation of the legit proper of self-determination of the Palestinians have to be assured, and so they have to be allowed to ascertain a territorially integral and viable state inside the borders of 1967 with its capital in East Jerusalem, not in phrases however in deeds, “on the bottom”.
Indonesia Minister for International Affairs Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday talked about, and I quote, that “Israel seeks peace,” that “Israel yearns for peace”. Actually? How are we alleged to consider that assertion?
Yesterday, whereas he was right here, Israel performed unprecedented huge air assaults on Beirut. PM Netanyahu needs the battle to proceed … We should cease that.
We should stress Israel to return again to a political resolution for the two-state resolution.
As I communicate now greater than 41,000 in Gaza have been killed, the state of affairs in West Financial institution Lebanon is deteriorating.
Is that not sufficient? Will the Safety Council solely take motion to cease Israel’s atrocities when all Palestinian are displaced? Or when 100,000 Palestinians are killed? Or when a regional armed battle breaks out? That will probably be too late!
Malaysia Minister for International Affairs Mohamad Hasan
Simply months in the past, the world witnessed Israel’s mockery, and utter disrespect of the United Nations on this very corridor, with the insolent shredding of the UN Constitution.
Israel’s actions, with every passing day, increase our doubts as as to whether it really believes within the UN system, or values its membership on this organisation.
Let there be little question: The query of Gaza is a direct take a look at of the potential of the United Nations. Let this 76-year-old situation not age right into a century of our failure to uphold justice. Let our goals of a free Palestine stay past at present, and past the phrases that we are saying.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
In Palestine, for nearly a yr now we’ve been witnessing an unconscionable spiral of dying and devastation which is now, sadly, spreading to Lebanon.
That is an escalation of the battle, which is woefully grave in nature.
Spain condemns within the strongest phrases the dying of harmless civilians as soon as once more and consequently, I want to as soon as once more name for de-escalation, detente and diplomacy.
We should put an finish to the battle in Gaza and deal with the foundation causes of the Israeli-Palestinian battle, that’s the one approach that we’ll have the ability to efficiently extinguish the hotbeds of rigidity which can be jeopardising regional and international stability.
All the pieces we’re seeing day by day in Gaza, and now sadly in Lebanon, is forcing us to consider the very validity of worldwide humanitarian legislation simply as we mark the seventy fifth anniversary of the Geneva Conventions.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
The massacres, the crimes, the genocide that Israel has been perpetrating towards our folks since its inception in 1948 to this very day won’t go unpunished; there isn’t any statute of limitations. However regardless of repeated calls, the world has not succeeded in obliging Israel to cease this battle of genocide and its battle crimes towards harmless civilians.
Palestinian folks, for nearly a yr now, have been “subjected to some of the heinous crimes of our period”.
Seventy-five % of every thing in Gaza has been absolutely destroyed.
The world bears duty for the state of affairs of our folks in Gaza and the West Financial institution.
We wish an answer that may shield each international locations, the State of Palestine and the State of Israel, in order that they’ll coexist in peace, stability and safety.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
To talk for my nation, to talk for the reality. And right here’s the reality: Israel seeks peace. Israel yearns for peace. Israel has made peace and can make peace once more.
But we face savage enemies who search our annihilation, and we should defend ourselves towards them.
In measured navy operations, we destroyed almost all of Hamas’s terror battalions – 23 out of 24 battalions. Now, to finish our victory, we’re centered on mopping up Hamas’s remaining preventing capabilities.
Israel should additionally defeat Hezbollah in Lebanon.
