YouSaid · the spoken record

Mrad

lines on the record: 72
first: 2022-10-20
most recent: 2023-08-31
sittings or episodes: 11
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Those are quick-impact projects that establish bridges between UNIFIL and the people of the south. When I say people, I do not mean a certain group of people. Rather, I refer to all the people of south Lebanon. There is no need to create disputes, because there is no reason for such disputes. The text should help to establish security, stability and peace, which we all want as a goal. Let the text be a supporting element, not a source of tension. Through you, Madam President, we reiterate our thanks to all Security Council members. Lebanon reaffirms its commitment to all Council resolutions. Our request is a right one. When we discuss texts of resolutions, we must take into account peoples’ concerns and governmental requests — because Governments know better. The meeting rose at 11.10 a.m.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“Why, then, resort to language in the resolution that looks very similar to that in resolutions adopted under Chapter VII, as if we are dealing with a disguised Chapter VII resolution? Why should we stick a finger in our eye? Why create tension where there is no reason for it? This resolution and the presence of UNIFIL troops in south Lebanon are the result of a conflict between Lebanon and Israel. It is not a resolution due to a conflict between a group of Lebanese people and UNIFIL. Why distort the conflict and give the impression that the problem is between a group of Lebanese people, who are part of the national fabric in Lebanon, and UNIFIL? That is not the case. There is very good relationship between UNIFIL and the people in the south. UNIFIL undertakes development projects along with its peacekeeping role.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“Those texts and narratives must be able to reflect the realities on the ground and to take into consideration the sensitivity and particularities of the situation. Otherwise, there will be a separation between the text and the reality. That, in turn, would cause a setback and will not allow us to reap the benefits that we all seek. All of us have the same common goal, but we differ in the modalities and approaches that we take. The devil is in the details, as they say. In conclusion, the resolution to extend the mandate of UNIFIL falls under Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations. It was prompted by a request from Lebanon. It was not imposed on Lebanon.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“With regard to the occupation or presence north of Al-Ghajar, we must call a spade a spade. In his letter (S/2023/587, the Secretary-General was clear, and the United Nations narratives are clear when they describe that presence as occupation. We value the reports of the Secretary-General for their consistent language. We cannot cherry-pick; that fails to take into consideration the particularities of those countries. What we discuss in the corridors of the United Nations and in the decision-making organs takes us to platonic realms. Those narratives and utopias that we all read as diplomats working here make us look forward to reaching such realms in reality, but the real world is totally different.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“However, it was clear throughout the long path of negotiation that such freedom of movement must be controlled, first to maintain the safety of the troops and secondly to deliver on their tasks, pursuant to resolution 1701 (2006) and the Headquarters Agreement. With regard to AL-Ghajar, or the area north of Al-Ghajar, Lebanon did not request to change the name of the geographic location. Instead, it asked for correcting and rectifying the use of the name, specifically that north of Al-Ghajar village is simply a notion of direction, not a new name. In that regard, the area north of Al-Ghajar was used the first time in the extension of the mandate-related resolutions. That is why any correction in that context should be made through extension resolutions. As such, the request is related to editing rather, than to changing the name.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“It failed to take into consideration the particular characteristics of the situation on the ground. I am not saying that there are certain groups or individuals in Lebanon rejecting this resolution, whereas others approve of it. I am referring instead to the issue of sovereignty. Lebanon made great efforts to introduce amendments to the text only to maintain Lebanese sovereignty and that of the Lebanese Government. UNIFIL troops have full freedom of movement, but only in coordination with the Lebanese Government. Lebanon has never rejected, denounced or objected to the freedom of movement that UNIFIL troops enjoy.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“Unfortunately, this is the first time that two Security Council members abstained in the voting on the resolution concerning the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). That is a very significant indicator. I would like, first of all, to reaffirm from this rostrum my country’s commitment to resolution 1701 (2006) and to the request to have peacekeeping troops on the ground in Lebanon. That request has been submitted year after year through an official letter from Lebanon addressed to the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General demanding an extension of UNIFIL’s mandate. That is to say, their presence in Lebanon is upon Lebanese request. The troops are for peacekeeping, not for imposing peace. Regrettably, the text did not fully reflect all Lebanese concerns.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“Ms. Mrad (Lebanon) (spoke in Arabic): As a matter of fact, I was not planning to take the floor, and I did not prepare a written statement. However, I have just jotted down some points on the paper in front of me. My statement will therefore be improvised and coming from the heart. At the outset, I would like to express, in my capacity as the representative of the Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the United Nations and on behalf of the Government of Lebanon, our thanks to all Council members who have tried over the course of this long- winding path to listen to Lebanon’s concerns and reflect them in resolution 2695 (2023) adopted today. I also specially thank the penholder, France, for the efforts undertaken to arrive at a text that could at a minimum win the consensus of all members.”
2023-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9409 (2023) · source
“In conclusion, the world today needs an integrated strategy to address the worsening situation with regard to food insecurity and food in general with a view to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2, namely, ending hunger and achieving food security. We must adopt a memorandum of understanding or an international protocol to be added to the rules of wars, conflicts and sanctions, whether imposed unilaterally or by the United Nations, that prohibits the use of food security as a means of war or applying pressure because ultimately the people are the only ones affected by that.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“We must not take sides or maintain strenuous international policies against small countries, like Lebanon, which has been torn apart by many economic crises. The starting point for concerted international efforts, regardless of political differences, is the commitment to the United Nations conventions on ensuring food security at the global level and the need to resume and extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative, in its entirety, under the umbrella of the United Nations, thus contributing to the arrival of food products to the most vulnerable countries and the peoples in need of those vital resources.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Lebanon, with worsening food difficulties, has become one of 20 countries subject to hunger, following a severe economic crisis that has been going on for three years. We reiterate our position on the issue of food security by supporting resolution 2417 (2018), adopted by consensus, which stressed the link between armed conflict, violence and the risk of famine in a step that transcends politicization of the dossier, whose main and ultimate focus is the human being, nature, the future of people and their sustainability. Any measure taken in this regard must inevitably find a means to address the food security agenda and secure the financial aid allocated to it. It must also be detached from political considerations.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Until recently, the scarcity of natural resources, water and land unsuitable for agriculture and production, in addition to global warming, which are all interlinked, have been the main causes of food insecurity, especially in the countries of the South, despite their wealth in natural resources. Today, there are many imminent threats to global food security owing to the absence of rules in war. Wars also have rules and ethics, notably to spare unarmed civilians and to not use them as human shields. Therefore, cutting off food — whether by obstructing supply and export channels or by a system of sanctions that undermines humanitarian assistance during conflicts — is tantamount to using citizens as human shields.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Ms. Mrad (Lebanon) (spoke in Arabic): We congratulate the delegation of the United States of America on the assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month and express our appreciation for convening this open debate on the use of food security as a weapon of war in armed conflict. At a time of intertwined multifaceted crises with overlapping objectives, the world hardly closed one chapter to be confronted by other chapters of affliction, some as a result of the wrath of Mother Nature and others caused by humans. In both cases, human beings and unarmed civilians are the ones who pay the heaviest price — reduced security in all its aspects, including food security.”
2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392Resumption1 (2023) · source
“In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate Lebanon’s appreciation for the important role UNIFIL plays in southern Lebanon in the achievement of peace and security in the region. We are also grateful to the mission’s force command and the countries that have contributed troops to it for their commitment for decades to maintaining peace in Lebanon. We look forward to a constructive renewal meeting that takes into account local specificities within the framework of a comprehensive tripartite perspective to restore calm and stability to the region and which transcends absurdities, such as a tent here or a kite there or a farmer who has lost his way. We look forward to a perspective that benefits our southern region, UNIFIL forces and Lebanon in general.”
2023-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9387 (2023) · source
“As the Permanent Mission of Lebanon in New York, we stand ready with the relevant Lebanese authorities to cooperate with all parties to achieve the following joint objectives: first, maintaining stability and security in the southern region along the Blue Line; secondly, preserving the security and safety of the peacekeepers and holding those who assault them to account, while maintaining harmony between the peacekeepers and the residents there; and thirdly, protecting the mission’s freedom of movement and ability to implement its mandate in coordination with the Lebanese army and pursuant to the Status of Forces Agreement and resolution 1701 (2006) without any amendment.”
2023-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9387 (2023) · source
“Lebanon reiterates its full commitment to resolution 1701 (2006), and its right to liberate its occupied territories by legitimate means and in accordance with international instruments, including Sheba’a Farms, the Kfar Shuba hills and the Al-Mari hills, which are in part connected to the village of Al-Ghajar. Lebanon reiterates in the Council today its readiness to complete the demarcation of its southern land borders and, through tripartite meetings with the United Nations in attendance, address remaining disputed issues. While we are currently preparing for the renewal of the UNIFIL mandate, we would like to thank the penholder, France, and all the members of the Security Council that participated in formulating the draft mandate-renewal resolution.”
2023-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9387 (2023) · source
“Lebanon wishes to underscore that we were the first to call for disarmament. The party that possesses a nuclear arsenal is not in a position to act like a victim under the pretext that its security and safety are threatened. Israel is the only party that possesses a complete nuclear programme and does not attend the Conference, despite the fact that it has a seat reserved for it at the table and that the Secretariat of the Conference, as a show of good faith, invites Israel to attend and express its concerns. Yet so far that has never happened.”
2023-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9387 (2023) · source
“Israel’s actions are clear attempts to drive Lebanon into taking actions that lead to escalation and make it the blameworthy party. Is it not clearly a paradox that in the last two months, Israel has increased its complaints to the Security Council and the Secretariat simply because we are on the eve of the UNIFIL mandate renewal? Israel wants to beguile the world into thinking that Lebanon is the party that possesses military arsenals, nuclear warheads and intercontinental missiles. However, Lebanon, which is currently presiding over the third session of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction, yesterday completed intensive meetings on a working paper that will pave the way for adopting an international instrument that establishes such a zone.”
2023-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9387 (2023) · source
“The events that took place in Jenin camp recently, especially against children and vulnerable groups, as the world watched in silence, are deplorable, in addition to unrestrained and unprecedented settlement expansion in the West Bank, in gross violation of international law. That undermines any prospects for peace, including the two-State solution. Meanwhile the world remained totally silent. For its part, Lebanon is not spared such dismal scenes, such as daily incursions into its southern territory and the systematic violation of its air space. What a paradox that the Israeli aggression and provocation is heightened these days, as we start the countdown towards the Security Council’s renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon.”
2023-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9387 (2023) · source
“Ms. Mrad (Lebanon) (spoke in Arabic): We meet in the Security Council Chamber on a quarterly basis to assess the situation in the Middle East and evaluate the developments and events that have taken place in the region, aspiring to a breakthrough and reasons for hope. However, and unfortunately, this region seems destined for misery and stalemates, notwithstanding the human skill, natural resources, vital potential and social and cultural diversity it enjoys. The egregious aggressions we have witnessed on the Palestinian arena recently are a reminder of what had happened previously.”
2023-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9387 (2023) · source
“The “business as usual” approach cannot continue to be our guiding line. Children should be off limits, no matter who they are or where they come from. The lives of all children matter. As for Lebanon, we have already initiated our talks with the Office of Special Representative Gamba de Potgieter to explore avenues of cooperation, with the aim of crafting a strategic framework programme at the national level for children and armed conflict. We look forward to accelerating the process of laying the first stone of that initiative, together with Mrs. Gamba de Potgieter and her able team.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“In that regard, we refer to the statement issued by UNICEF’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Director, in which she stressed that at least three children were killed on 3 July, and many others were injured. We condemn those attacks and deplore all acts of violence against children. Looking at “the list of shame”, published in the annex to the report, we cannot but realize that not every abuser and killer of children is on the list as they should be. While the Secretary-General addresses the situation of Palestinian children, documenting 3,133 grave violations against 1,139 Palestinian children, Israel was omitted from the list. In that regard, an article entitled, “Why Does the UN Chief Value Some Children More Than Others?”, published a couple of days ago by Human Rights Watch, caught our eye.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Those figures, which are perhaps much higher since they do not encompass the unverified cases of violations against children, are not only numbers. As the UNICEF Executive Director put it during the Oslo Conference on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict last month, “Behind each of these numbers is a story of unimaginable child suffering … of rights violated and rights denied”. Children continue to be disproportionately affected by armed conflict, and violations against them continue unabated. As per UNICEF, a staggering 315,000 grave violations against children in conflict were verified by the United Nations between 2005 and 2022. Unfortunately, in recent days, we have witnessed Israeli attacks on the Jenin refugee camp.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“At the outset, allow me to congratulate the United Kingdom on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month and for organizing today’s timely debate. I also seize this opportunity to congratulate the United Arab Emirates on its successful presidency of the Council last month. We thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Mrs. Virginia Gamba de Potgieter, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Programmes Omar Abdi and Ms. Violeta for their respective briefings. The most recent report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (S/2023/363) confirms that the United Nations verified 27,180 grave violations against children in 2022.”
2023-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9366Resumption1 (2023) · source
“As we look forward to the upcoming landmark conferences and summits — namely, the Sustainable Development Goal Summit, the Summit of the Future and the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, under the able leadership of the United Arab Emirates — the international community has to ensure that the climate, peace and security nexus is at the forefront of our deliberations.”
2023-06-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9345Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Many cities in the region may literally become uninhabitable before the end of the century. The climate, peace and security nexus brings us to the following equation — the causal link between climate change and conflicts. Is it wars that impact climate change or does climate change, as a threat multiplier, fuel civil wars and other armed conflicts? What is sure is that they are mutually reinforcing. In the past two decades, the Middle East region witnessed devastating wars and cross-border conflicts that exponentially destroyed its biodiversity and continue to contribute significantly to the climate crisis. Unstable climate is an emerging threat to security that must be met with greater urgency and ambition.”
2023-06-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9345Resumption1 (2023) · source
“As the planet’s temperature rises, extended droughts, rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storms are affecting the lives and livelihoods of people in all corners of the globe. The Arab world is one of the regions most affected by climate change. Sixty-three per cent of fertile lands are highly vulnerable to climate fluctuations, which means there is an increasing dependency on imports in already highly indebted countries. Furthermore, two thirds of freshwater resources in the region cross one or more international boundaries, which could aggravate conflict in the absence of peaceful settlements based on international law. Warming in Middle East region is twice the global average and, according to international specialized reports, it will be 4°C warmer by 2050, compared to the 1.5°C global goal for a safer planet.”
2023-06-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9345Resumption1 (2023) · source
“I would like to start by thanking the United Arab Emirates for convening us on this important topic of climate change and its adverse impact on peace and security. It has become increasingly clear that climate change has consequences that reach the very heart of the security agenda — flooding, disease and famine, resulting in migration on an unprecedented scale in areas of already high tension, as well as drought and crop-failure, leading to intensified competition for food, water and scarce energy. Increased competition for resources like fertile land and fresh water is already disrupting societies and uprooting entire communities, thus exacerbating current conflicts and fuelling new ones. Climate change is considered among the greatest risks for peace and security in the twenty-first century.”
2023-06-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9345Resumption1 (2023) · source
“On the occasion of the forty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of UNIFIL, Lebanon highly appreciates its important role in establishing peace and security in southern Lebanon. We are also grateful to UNIFIL’s troop- and police-contributing countries for their continued commitment to preserve peace. UNIFIL’s presence and role in maintaining calm and defusing tensions are necessary to maintain stability and avoid any miscalculations or escalations along the Blue Line. It is also essential for UNIFIL to monitor adherence to resolution 1701 (2006) in that regard. Lebanon underscores once again the importance of coordinating between the activities undertaken by UNIFIL and the Lebanese Government in accordance also with resolution 1701 (2006).”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Lebanon reiterates its rejection of the use of its territories as a platform for destabilizing the situation and reserves its legitimate right to self-defence. Lebanon emphasizes that the lines of communication with the United Nations and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) represent the best pathway for resolving problems and preserving calm and stability. Lebanon once again warns that all the tensions along the Blue Line are the result of Israel’s continued violation of that Line. Israel even recently built a T-shaped wall on the Lebanese occupied territories across from the town of Alma Al-Shaab. The Security Council must condemn such violations.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Furthermore, we need to implement the Arab Peace Initiative and ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian State within the borders of 4 June 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital. I would now like to make a brief statement in my national capacity on behalf of the Government of Lebanon. Lebanon condemns the attacks by Israel on Friday, 7 April, which targeted parts of southern Lebanon and threatened the lives and territories of Lebanese civilians We believe that act of aggression is a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Lebanon, which threatens the stability that southern Lebanon was enjoying and is furthermore a clear violation of resolution 1701 (2006) and a threat to international peace and security.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“The unjust realities of the occupation have not changed. Israel’s hostile campaigns have continued and its settlements are expanding, while it continues to completely disregard international law, international humanitarian law and the wishes of the international community. In that context, we must continue to provide political and financial support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East until a just and permanent solution to the Palestinian question is achieved in accordance with General Assembly resolution 194 (III), on the right of return. We can achieve peace in the Middle East only through a just and comprehensive solution based on the decisions of international legitimacy and the implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions, including, most recently, resolution 2334 (2016).”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“In conclusion, the Arab Group stresses that the Palestinian question is the central Arab issue. It has been on the Council’s agenda since 1948, which exemplifies the injustice that has been inflicted on the Palestinian people and their need for their own independent State. On 15 May we will mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Nakba, whose repercussions have continued to affect every succeeding generation, while further demonstrating the international community’s inability to implement United Nations resolutions. We are still far from seeing the hopes based on the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations come true. There have been many international efforts, peace initiatives and related United Nations resolutions. However, the situation on the ground for Palestinians, including refugees, continues to deteriorate.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“We express our appreciation to Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for its support of the Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem. We also appreciate the historic role played by Egypt, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, in support of the Palestinian question. And we want to express our appreciation for all Arab efforts aimed at preserving the city of Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine, along with its Arab, Islamic and Christian identity with its holy sites and cultural and humanitarian heritage, supporting its institutions while addressing Israel’s policies on settlement building and Judaism. We also thank and appreciate the countries hosting Palestinian refugees, including Lebanon.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“We call on the International Criminal Court to complete its investigation and hold to account the perpetrators of the war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed by Israel against the defenceless Palestinian people. The Arab Group appreciates Jordan’s role in safeguarding and maintaining Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem within the framework of the custodianship of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, under the leadership of King Abdullah II. We appreciate the role of the Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Committee and its affiliated Beit Mal Al-Quds under the chairmanship of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, as well as the efforts in support of the Palestinian question by Algeria, under the leadership of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, through Algeria’s historic policies and continued financial aid to the budget of the State of Palestine.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“We therefore call on the countries of the world to show their solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle, to recognize that the Palestinian question is a just one and acknowledge the State of Palestine and its right to be a full member of the United Nations. We welcomed the General Assembly’s adoption of resolution 77/247, which calls for requesting the International Court of Justice to render an advisory opinion on Israel’s colonial occupation of the land of the State of Palestine and its repercussions, given that it violates international law and the Charter of the United Nations. We call on all Member States that care for the values of justice and international law to support the State of Palestine in its endeavour by providing written and oral legal submissions to the Court by 25 July.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“We call on the international community and Council members to condemn all forms of violence against Palestinian civilians by the occupation forces and radical settler groups and urge for accountability for all such practices. We will not be able to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East, along with security and stability, until the Palestinian people are granted their inalienable legitimate rights, including their right to self-determination, and until we see the end of Israel’s illegal and colonial occupation and the assurance of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“In the light of that continued aggression, the Arab Group calls urgently for the protection of the Palestinian people by the international community in line with the proposals made by the Secretary-General, which the General Assembly welcomed in view of the increase in Israel’s aggressions against the Palestinian people. The Arab Group condemns Israel’s policy of arbitrary detention and denial of medical care for prisoners. We support the prisoners in their struggle to achieve their release. We must ensure that the occupying Power complies with humanitarian international law and international human rights law. Pressure must be put on Israel to immediately release all prisoners and detainees, as well as the bodies of martyrs. Israel must end its policies on deportation and house arrest, among other things.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“The Arab Group therefore calls on the Security Council to assume its responsibilities and ensure the implementation of its resolutions in order to put an end to all of Israel’s unilateral, illegal, provocative and escalatory steps, as well as the violations that it continues to commit unabated in order to build and expand its illegal settlements. Israel continues to kill innocent people, storm Palestinian cities and villages, confiscate Palestinian land and property, demolish Palestinian houses and structures and displace the original inhabitants, including in Jerusalem, while flagrant violations of the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif are committed by Israel’s occupying army and radical settlement groups.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Israel is targeting Palestinian civilians, killing Palestinian children, young people, women and older persons in their cities, villages and streets, and storming their homes, schools and workplaces, as well as deliberately targeting health-care and media personnel, in addition to the attacks by extremist settlers, the colonial expansion and the incitement and racist rhetoric adopted by the Israeli Government, which ignores all human and legal norms, without accountability or punishment, in defiance of the international position with regard to its occupation and violations in the occupied Palestinian territory.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“The Group also reiterates its support for all efforts and initiatives to protect the occupied city of Jerusalem, and defends its holy sites while rejecting and condemning any attempts to alter its demographic character and its Arab, Islamic and Christian identity, along with its legal and historic status. The Group condemns the extremist views of the new Government of Israel, in flagrant violation of all its commitments to international law and Security Council resolutions, which have led to a state of stagnation and great tension in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“We also stress the right of the State of Palestine to exercise its sovereignty over the occupied city of East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine and its holy sites. Israel, the occupying Power, has no rights or sovereignty over the occupied city of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites. The Arab Group values the positions of the countries that rejected and condemned the provocative and aggressive storming by Israel of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. They stress their positions rejecting any altering of the historic and legal status quo.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Those irresponsible acts perpetrated at holy sites provoke millions of Muslims around the world, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. In that regard, the Arab Group also stress the need for Israel, the occupying Power, to respect the existing legal and historical status quo of the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, including by respecting its status — with its area of 144 dunums — as a place of worship exclusively for Muslims. It is also important to respect the role of the Jerusalem Waqf of Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, as it is the only body authorized to manage the affairs of all Al-Haram Al-Sharif and regulating entry into it.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Nevertheless, the occupying Power has ignored those calls and committed the worst forms of violence against Palestinians, Muslims and Christians, in addition to limiting their ability to exercise their religious rights on the occasion of Easter and Ramadan, especially in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Arab Group condemns in the strongest terms the violence committed by the Israeli occupation forces against worshipers this month, which is a continuation of the cycle of bloody violence that has been systematically practiced against the Palestinians, especially since the beginning of this year and during last year. The Group also condemns the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the assaults, detentions and arrests of hundreds of worshipers.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“Before I deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of Arab States, I would like to ask your indulgence, Mr. President, as I may exceed the three-minute time limit given that this is a group statement. (spoke in Arabic) I would first like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your country’s assumption of the presidency of the Security Council this month. I also appreciate the briefing delivered by the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. I deliver this statement on behalf of the member States of the Group of Arab States. Over the past month, the members of the Security Council have repeatedly called for de-escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories in general and in Jerusalem in particular, at a time when the religious holidays of the three Abrahamic religions coincide.”
2023-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9309 (2023) · source
“For Lebanon, a small State and a founding Member of the United Nations, multilateralism is a shield, and just as it was vital for my country when it went through its previous conflicts, it remains vital in the face of today’s crises. An international order based on the rule of law and respect for it therefore cannot be optional and must act as a necessary vehicle for international peace, stability and security.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Lebanon has also subscribed to several initiatives aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability with respect to the use of the veto. In that context, we support two complementary initiatives: the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group’s code of conduct, regarding the Council not voting against any credible draft resolution aimed at preventing or deterring mass atrocity crimes; and the French-Mexican initiative on veto restraint in the case of mass atrocities. Last year, Lebanon also co-sponsored General Assembly resolution 76/262, entitled “Standing mandate for a General Assembly debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council”. Finally, it remains important to ensure the harmonious and coherent implementation of our international obligations and to abandon selective approaches.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“In that regard, I would like to reaffirm Lebanon’s support for the Secretary-General’s efforts, as proposed in Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), to adapt the United Nations to this new era. That is also reflected in the New Agenda for Peace. As we are now in a multipolar world, governance institutions must be more representative and democratic, which of course applies to the Security Council. Lebanon therefore continues to support the intergovernmental negotiations on the reform of the Council, on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and on other matters related to the Security Council, and we reaffirm the position of the Group of Arab States in that regard.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“However, as the Secretary-General reminded us in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, it is not enough to proclaim the virtues of multilateralism; we must continue to show its added value, and international cooperation must adapt to changing times. That international cooperation must be more agile, effective and inclusive, so that we can be better prepared and respond to the global challenges that affect the peoples of the world and ultimately prevent many more from arising. In that regard, the Charter of the United Nations must remain the cornerstone of multilateralism. Lebanon therefore supports any institutional reforms aimed at increasing the credibility of the United Nations and reducing the mistrust — which is often justifiable — towards international institutions.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Ms. Mrad (Lebanon) (spoke in French): Allow me to congratulate Russia on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of April, and I commend it for the convening today’s open debate of the Security Council, presided over by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. On behalf of my delegation, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this open debate on a key issue, at a time when the rules-based multilateral system continues to be undermined. Nevertheless, despite the imperfections of that system, it must remain our preferred framework, because none of us alone can deal with the multitude of global and often existential challenges we face, including armed conflicts, pandemics, food insecurity and the climate emergency, to name but a few.”
2023-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9308Resumption1 (2023) · source