Mr. President,

Pakistan reaffirms the importance of this important Agenda Item – a discussion that reminds us that we as United Nations have failed to protect the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Palestine and those of the other occupied territories. During the past seventy years, they have been driven from their homes and their homeland, militarily occupied and obliged to live in conditions resembling apartheid.

The Right to Self Determination is a basic human right which is enshrined in the UN Charter and Common Article 1 of the two Covenants. It is unfortunate and regrettable that in some parts of the world, including in Palestine, millions of people are denied this fundamental right for over seven decades. The long suffering Palestinian people continue to face well-entrenched and systematic violations of their fundamental human rights at the hands of the Israeli occupation.

We regret that Israeli settlement activity, characterized by house demolitions, forced evictions of families and communities, and building new colonies, in grave violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) continues with impunity. We urge Israel to halt all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian territory and end illegal blockade of Gaza.

Pakistan also deplores the constraints placed on UNWRA. It is appalling that the suffering of Palestinian refugees is sought to be mortgaged to political ambitions. Sufficient, predictable and sustainable financing of UNWRA’s activities is a moral and legal obligation of the international community.

To end this ongoing pattern of human rights violations, violence and insecurity, the international community must take urgent action to resolve the longstanding dispute of Palestine by supporting the two State solution on the pre 1967 borders, based on a free and secure State of Palestine with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital, living side by side and in peace with all its neighbours.

I thank you.