Speak up for Palestine

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima yesterday urged the international community to take urgent and decisive actions to resolve the longstanding crisis in Palestine.

She was speaking at the "Joint Debate on the Situation in the Middle East and the Question of Palestine", convened by the president of the UN General Assembly.

Ambassador Fatima informed the assembly that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a letter to Palestine president, denounced the abhorrent acts of violence against innocent civilians of Palestine.

She reaffirmed Bangladesh's commitment in realising the rights of the people of Palestine for an independent homeland, based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

She asked for an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression and deplored repetition of such senseless cycles of violence and atrocities by the occupying Israeli forces.

Ambassador Fatima highlighted some priorities towards a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian crisis and peace in the region.

They include genuine efforts of the international community to address root causes of the crisis and fulfilment of the charter responsibilities by the security council and general assembly to turn around the culture of inaction and enforce compliance of all international human rights and humanitarian laws, and relevant UN resolutions.

She called for engaging with all relevant actors to ensure early implementation of the Road Map, Arab Peace Initiative and the efforts of the diplomatic quartet. She said humanitarian needs of Palestinian people must be met urgently and underscored the importance of ensuring accountability of the occupying Israeli forces.

More than 100 UN member states participated in the daylong joint debate, addressed by the UN secretary general and president of the General Assembly. All speakers called for an urgent resolution to the Palestinian crisis.