Statement by His Excellency Dr. Reza Najafi Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Of the Islamic Republic of Iran
At the Non-Aligned Movement Committee on Palestine
Kampala Uganda 17 January 2024
Statement by
His Excellency Dr. Reza Najafi
Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs
Of the Islamic Republic of Iran
At the Non-Aligned Movement Committee on Palestine
Kampala, Uganda, 17 January 2024
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Mr. Chairman,
I thank Uganda, the Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, for convening this timely meeting of the Committee on Palestine.
The situation in Palestine particularly in Gaza is appalling. The ongoing crime of the Israeli regime is a shame for humanity and a double injustice to a nation that, for well over seven decades, has lived under occupation and been deprived of its inherent right to self-determination.
No one can be indifferent to the Zionist regime’s heinous, widespread, and bloody crimes, the extent, frequency and gravity of which is unprecedented.
These crimes, which are being committed in front of the eyes of all of humanity, have all elements of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Such brutality is but an affront to all humanity, a complete disregard for the high moral values respected by all nations and civilizations, and a material breach of fundamental norms and principles of international law, particularly international humanitarian and human rights laws.
Of course, it is not for the first time that such crimes are being committed in Palestine by the Occupying Power. For over seven decades, and enjoying comprehensive and unreserved support of the U.S. and other western States, the Zionist regime has committed the most heinous crimes, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, racial discrimination, and genocide against the people of Palestine.
Shielded by the U.S. and other western powers particularly in the UN Security Council, the Israeli regime has always committed such crimes with total impunity, and thus evaded accountability and punishment.
In practice, such support has always emboldened the Zionist regime to commit more crimes more brutally.
That’s why its officials have recently spoken about using even atomic bombs on the residents of Gaza and also called for the start of Gaza’s Nakba – reminding the Nakba of Palestine in the 1948 war by Israel, during which over 78% of Palestine is occupied and approximately 750,000 Palestinians (about half of Palestine’s Arab population at time) had been forced to leave their homes.
The Israeli regime is founded on aggression, occupation, death and destruction. To advance its unlawful and inhumane policies, this regime is also addicted to employing such horrific methods as apartheid, discrimination and terrorism. Most recently, in capturing and killing Palestinian civilians in Gaza, they employed the exact modus operandi of Daesh.
Additionally, deception is in the DNA of this regime. Accordingly, its permanent policy has always been of complete negation of the existence of an independent Palestinian State.
The Israeli regime’s officials have time and again underlined that there is no plan imaginable for the future establishment of an independent Palestinian State.
For the same reason, they have never been genuine in pursuing peace. They used the so-called peace processes only to gain more time, to occupy more land, to displace more Palestinians, and to build more unlawful settlements in the occupied territories of Palestine.
Under this situation, and to realize its legitimate rights, the Palestinian people have no other choice than resisting occupation “by all available means, including armed struggle” – an inherent right which has also been reaffirmed by the UN General Assembly in its numerous resolutions.
Evidently, the Palestinians don’t need to ask for the permission of any State or institution to exercise such an inherent right.
Throughout decades, this nation has learned that it will be able to enforce its rights only through resistance, perseverance, and reliance on its own power.
The Al-Aqsa Storm Operations should be evaluated from this perspective.
Mr. Chairman,
In line with the longstanding principled position of the Non-Aligned Movement in support of the just cause of the Palestinian people, this Committee must yet again send a strong message in support of the legitimate struggle of this nation for freedom and independence.
This Committee must call for immediate and unconditional end to all crimes of the Israeli regime in, and withdrawal of all its forces from, Gaza.
The Israeli regime must also be compelled to allow for the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access to all parts of the Gaza Strip and to facilitate the continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services important to the well-being of civilians, especially children, throughout the Gaza Strip, including water, electricity, fuel, food, and medical supplies – as also called for by the UN Security Council Resolution 2712.
The Committee must also call for emergency repairs to essential infrastructures in Gaza, to urgent rescue and recovery efforts, including for missing children in damaged and destroyed buildings and the medical evacuation of sick or injured children.
The Committee is also expected to call for the dignified repatriation of all displaced Palestinians and the provision of needed international assistance to effectively commence the reconstruction of all affected areas in Gaza.
This Committee is also urged to call for imposing political and economic sanctions on the Israeli regime, in particular sever of ties of those that have, to decide to form a fact-finding committee to deal with the recent crimes committed by the Zionist regime in Gaza and other parts of Palestine, and to establish a mechanism to document this regime’s crimes in Gaza for later use in international courts, including in the recent cases in the ICJ and the ICC.
NAM Member States should also support South Africa in its brave move in the International Court of Justice and intervene in the case.
In conclusion, I reiterate the full support of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the just cause of the Palestinian people. I also stress that our support for the outcome document and reports of this Committee should, in no way, be construed as an explicit or implicit recognition of the Israeli regime.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.