UAE welcomes Palestine-Israel truce

The UAE has welcomed the news of a ceasefire agreement between Palestine and Israel.

The country expressed hope that it could lead to the resumption of a credible wider peace process while restoring calm and building confidence between the parties at the same time.

The UAE stressed that it has been gravely concerned by the escalating violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

It thanked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his appeal for an immediate ceasefire and his call on all parties to initiate a political dialogue.

Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN, spoke before the UN General Assembly at its debate on the situation in the Middle East.

She expressed the UAE’s condolences to the families of all those killed and stated that the events of the past two weeks have been a somber reminder of the urgent need for a peaceful dialogue aimed at a long-term solution to end the conflict.

Ambassador Nusseibeh expressed alarm at the actions against the Palestinian people since early May in violation of international law, including at  Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the forced displacement of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, which has led to civilian casualties.

She stressed that Israel must comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, and with all relevant UN resolutions.

She emphasised that Israel must protect Palestinian civilians, immediately cease building settlements and demolishing Palestinian property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and halt the forcible displacement of Palestinians.

Furthermore, Ambassador Nusseibeh underscored the fundamental importance of upholding the status of Jerusalem in compliance with relevant UN resolutions.

She stressed the right of the Palestinian people to freely practice their religions and the importance of respecting the role of Jordan as custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem and in preserving their legal and historical status quo.

The official also reaffirmed the UAE’s readiness to support all regional and international efforts aimed at advancing the Middle East peace process and at achieving the two-state solution through the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions, Madrid references, and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Ambassador Nusseibeh stressed that the UAE remains deeply concerned by the backdrop of the wider deteriorating humanitarian and economic conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which has worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic and has underlined the urgent need to reach a lasting solution.

In this context, she highlighted the need for the international community to provide support to the Palestinian people, especially through the provision of vaccines and medical equipment.