Staff Reporter:
Bangladesh has called for urgent international action to end Israeli occupation, illegal settlement expan-sion and human rights violations in Palestine, reaffirming its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.
Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Irene Khan made the call while addressing the UN Security Council’s open debate on “The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question” in New York on Friday, according to a press release received in Dhaka yester-day.
Expressing grave concern over the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, she strongly condemned the con-tinuing suffering of Palestinian civilians and escalating Israeli actions in the occupied Palestinian territo-ries.
Ambassador Khan also voiced deep concern over increasing land confiscation, violence and illegal set-tlement expansion in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
“The deadlock in the Security Council has enabled Israel to operate with impunity,” she said.
The Bangladesh envoy urged the Security Council to take decisive measures to halt annexation, forced displacement and human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.
She stressed the need to ensure accountability for violations of international law and protect the funda-mental rights of the Palestinian people.
Reaffirming Bangladesh’s longstanding position on the Palestinian question, Khan said Dhaka remained firmly committed to supporting the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination.
She also underscored the importance of ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to Palestinians and called for full respect for the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The ambassador stressed that humanitarian agencies must be allowed to continue their operations to pro-vide essential assistance to vulnerable Palestinian populations.
Turning to the broader Middle East situation, Khan condemned Israeli attacks and occupation in Syria and Lebanon, expressing concern over their implications for regional peace and stability.
She emphasised the need for an adequate United Nations presence in Lebanon and offered Bangladesh’s support in this regard.
The Bangladesh envoy also strongly condemned the deadly Houthi attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia that caused civilian casualties, including among Bangladeshi migrant workers.
She expressed concern over the threats such attacks posed to civilian lives and regional security.
Reaffirming Bangladesh’s commitment to promoting a Culture of Peace, Ambassador Khan urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, protect civilians and uphold international humanitarian law.
She stressed the importance of collective international efforts to prevent further escalation and promote lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.
