NEW YORK, Dec 3 (KUNA) -- The Arab Group at the UN reaffirmed that the centrality of the Palestinian cause within the Middle East, saying that it was crucial to resolving the conflict in the region.
Chair of the Group and Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Headquarters in New York Ambassador Tareq Al-Banai told a UNGA session on the issue of Palestine that it was important to enable the Palestinian people to determine their own destiny.
He underlined the importance of establishing an Independent Palestinian State within the June 4, 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as the capital of the country.
Ambassador Al-Banai lauded the previously held high-level international meeting on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue, co-organized by Saudi Arabia and France, saying it was an important step to politically revive the cause and bolster international support for the two-state solution.
He conveyed a welcome on the part of the Arab Group to the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, which enabled the delivery of much-needed relief aid to civilians, the release of prisoners, and the renewal of hope for sustainable peace in the region.
Ambassador Al-Banai also welcomed US President Donald Trump's signing of the declaration for peace and prosperity during his participation in the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit, expressing at the same time, appreciation to the mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and the US leading to the ceasefire agreement.
The Kuwaiti diplomat said that maintaining the agreement was a collective responsibility, stressing that the Israeli occupation must fully abide by the agreement.
He indicated that the Arab Group condemned acts of violation by the Israeli occupation aimed at hindering regional and international efforts for peace and lessening the humanitarian burden on the Palestinian people, which would pave the way for renewing the political path based on international legitimacy.
Ambassador Al-Banai also said it was important to allow the entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip without obstructions and restrictions in accordance with international law, stressing that all crossings must be reopened to allow food, water, and all necessities to enter the war-struck region without delay.
Kuwait's representative called for allowing UN and world humanitarian partners to operate in Gaza without restriction to avoid catastrophe, saying that the Israeli occupation had been committing grave violations adding to the misery of the Gazans.
He expressed eagerness to effectively partake in the Gaza reconstruction conference scheduled in Cairo, stressing the importance of participation and enabling the immediate reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave.
The conference required serious global community commitment, Ambassador Al-Bannai affirmed, noting that talks about reconstruction should not steer dialogue away from accountability for which the Israeli occupation has a lot to answer for.
He commended the role of UNRWA, saying that the agency was a lifeline for millions of Palestinians through its operations and that any hindrance to its activities would affect lives.
On the increasing illegal settlers' hostilities in the West Bank, Ambassador Al-Bannai expressed worry over the escalation propagated by the Israeli occupation authorities, which are clear violations of humanitarian and international laws.
The Kuwaiti senior diplomat also touched on Israeli occupation violations against Lebanon, declaring that they were stark breach of Lebanon's sovereignty and UN resolutions.
The violations prevent the Lebanese army from fully deploying in the southern region of the country, facilitating the return of civilians, and hindering UNIFIL operations, he asserted.
On Syria, Ambassador Al-Banai utterly condemned the heinous Israeli occupation actions on the borders with Syria, which led to the death of 13 civilians and the injury of scores of others, calling on the international community to hold the aggressors responsible for their attack against Syrian soil. (end) ats.gta