The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) discussed Monday several regional issues including the repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), including Jerusalem.
During the debate, the representative of Palestine, Mohammed Abu Koash, said Israeli warplanes, tanks and naval gunships were firing death at Palestine and Lebanon.
He said that the extensive killing of civilians and massive destruction of vital infrastructure by Israel had brought the region to the brink of a full-fledged war.
Abu Koash asserted that the Israel offensive into northern Gaza and its air strikes against other areas of the Gaza Strip had caused colossal destruction in public infrastructure and Palestinian institutions, including the only power plant, water networks, bridges, schools and ministries including the Ministry of Economy.
"In the amidst of all that suffering, Palestinians had been impoverished due to the Israel's unlawful withholding of Palestinian tax revenues and the severance of external aid following the election. The current Israeli internecine escalation in Palestine and Lebanon showed that Israel was not interested in peace," he said.
"If the international community continued to be silent, the whole region would be plunged into more needless suffering with grave and far-reaching consequences for times to come. The current Israeli internecine escalation in Palestine and Lebanon showed that Israel was not interested in peace," Representative of Palestine concluded.
The Council heard the introduction of a draft resolution entitled Economic and Social Repercussions of the Israeli Occupation on the Living Conditions of the Palestinian People in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, without taking any action.
Idham Musa Mokrat, of Malasia, said that his country was deeply concerned about the continuing deterioration of the situation in the Middle East.
"The ongoing excessive and indiscriminate use of force by Israel had continued to cause extensive damage to properties, serious injuries and the loss of a great many civilian lives, including women and children," he added.
He affirmed that the Israel military aggressions were being systematically executed by Israel in total disregard to international law, as well as international human rights and humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.
The Israeli bombardment and wanton destruction of infrastructure, government buildings, water and power plans in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, arbitrary arrests and detention of democratically elected Palestinian Ministers, members of the Palestinians parliament and other Palestinian officials were indeed excessive, disproportionate and certainly deplorable, Representative of Malisia said.
Nada al-Akl, of ( Lebanon) said on the issue of the Israeli occupation, the draft resolution expressed the sufferings of the Palestinian people, as a result of the occupation. The new and continued aggression on the rights of the Palestinian people by Israel was causing untold harm. Lebanon supported the Palestinian brothers.
She added that the massacre that was taking place in Lebanon at the hands of Israel was levelling the people and properties of that country, with many thousands displaced. Israel was using Lebanon as an experiment for its unlawful weapons, and was demolishing the people, properties and infrastructure, causing hunger and an economic blockade in full violation of international law, human rights and the right to life.
Robyn Mudie, of Australia, said that Australia recognised that real improvements to the economic and social conditions in the Palestinian territory would remain difficult without the commitment of all parties to a comprehensive, negotiated settlement of the conflict that recognized Israel's right to exist and the Palestinian people's right to an independent state.
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