Distinguished Ministers:

Solidarity and full support for the Palestinian cause have been a historic priority for the Non-Aligned Movement. The very existence of this Committee, established in New Delhi in 1983, on the occasion of the VII Summit, and its ongoing activism to achieve just and definitive peace in the Middle East, are testament to our Movement’s commitment to the cause of the Palestinian people.

On the basis of the documents stemming from the XIV Summit, particularly the Declaration on Palestine, and other Declarations on this issue subsequently adopted by the Movement’s Coordinating Bureau, the non-aligned countries have continued to defend the cause of the Palestinian people and have demanded both necessity and urgency to put an end to the protracted and illegal Israeli occupation of all the Arab territories since 1967. They have also demanded that an independent and sovereign Palestinian State be formed, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In its statements, the Movement has reiterated the concern over the continuous deterioration of the political, economic, social and humanitarian situation being undergone by the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, as a result of the ongoing illegal policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power, thus increasing the suffering and hardships of the Palestinian people.

In various multilateral forums, including the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council, the non-aligned countries have expressed their strong condemnation of the deliberate and illegal policies and practices conducted by Israel with a view to modifying the demographics and the character and nature of the Palestinian land. Israel must cease the colonialism of settlements, including the confiscation of vast stretches of land, the construction and expansion of illegal settlements and the illegal construction of the Wall all across the occupied Palestinian territory, in violation of International Law and disregarding the consultative opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on 9 July 2004.

The voice of the Non-Aligned Movement has been strongly heard in demand of the immediate end to the military aggression, the collective punishment and the large-scale violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people by Israel.

On the other hand, the Movement has emphasized the need to mobilize all the Palestinian forces in order to put an end to the occupation and reach the ultimate goal of establishing an independent State, with East Jerusalem as its capital. With both clarity and transparency, the Palestinian leadership has been encouraged, as have been the leaders of all the factions and all the Palestinians, to come together in support of the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, his Government and all the Palestinian institutions elected democratically – so that they can all resolve their political differences through peaceful means. In this regard, support for the national dialogue among Palestinians to reach national reconciliation has been expressed. It has also been asserted that the Palestinian Liberation Organization continues to be the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

The Movement will continue to firmly support all peace-related efforts, such as the Arab Peace Initiative, aimed at ending the occupation of the Palestinian territory by Israel for 40 years and reaching a final and peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue, based on the relevant UN Resolutions, particularly resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 425 (1978) of the Security Council – which, among other things, set forth the withdrawal of the Israeli troops from the occupied territories. The main objective to pursue will continue to be the complete Israeli withdrawal from those territories and the establishment of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.

However, we will oppose any attempts to modify the mandate of the peace process or the imposition of unilateral measures and plans causing Israel, the occupying Power, to impose an illegal unilateral solution.

Distinguished Ministers:

Many have been the actions undertaken by the Movement over the last year in support of the Palestinian cause. A document containing detailed information on such actions has been distributed in this hall. It is worth mentioning the active role of the Movement in the context of the UN General Assembly and the Security Council. The non-aligned countries either supported or co-sponsored an important group of resolutions presented on this issue at the General Assembly. Every time there was an opportunity, we raised our voice at the Security Council to express our support and solidarity towards the Palestinian cause and to demand that the relevant resolutions of that organ, as pertaining to peace in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue, be implemented. The Coordinating Bureau has issued six declarations in this period with the Movement’s position on this matter and its unmistakable support for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

I now urge you to express your viewpoints and, most of all, to propose concrete measures or initiatives that may strengthen the Movement’s positions and guide them towards action on an issue of the utmost priority to its members.

Thank you very much.