{"id":120030,"date":"2017-06-29T16:32:50","date_gmt":"2017-06-29T16:32:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=120030"},"modified":"2024-09-06T12:03:51","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T16:03:51","slug":"un-forum-to-mark-fifty-years-of-occupation-new-york-29-30-june-2017-deputy-secretary-general-message-dsgsm1068-gapal1388","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/un-forum-to-mark-fifty-years-of-occupation-new-york-29-30-june-2017-deputy-secretary-general-message-dsgsm1068-gapal1388\/","title":{"rendered":"UN Forum to Mark Fifty Years of Occupation (New York, 29-30 June 2017) – Deputy Secretary-General Message (DSG\/SM\/1068-GA\/PAL1388)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Please visit the Conference website for more information.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed\u2019s remarks at the opening of the June forum to mark 50\u00a0years of occupation of the Palestinian territory<\/a>, in New York today:<\/p>\n

I will begin my remarks with a message from the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres<\/a>:<\/p>\n

I send my warm greetings to everyone gathered to mark 50\u00a0years since the start of the 1967\u00a0Arab-Israeli war, which resulted in Israel\u2019s occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza and the Syrian Golan, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and Syrians.<\/p>\n

The occupation has imposed a heavy humanitarian and development burden on the Palestinian people. \u00a0Generations of Palestinians have grown up in crowded refugee camps, many in abject poverty, and with little or no prospect of a better life for their children.<\/p>\n

Fifty long years of occupation have fuelled recurring cycles of violence and retribution. \u00a0They send an unmistakable message to Palestinians that their dream of statehood might never be realized. \u00a0They signal to Israelis that their desire for peace, security and regional recognition remains unattainable.<\/p>\n

Ending the occupation is the only way to lay the foundations for enduring peace that meets Israeli security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty. \u00a0It is the only way to achieve the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.<\/p>\n

It is time to return to direct negotiations to resolve all final status issues on the basis of relevant Â鶹APP resolutions, agreements and international law. \u00a0It is time to end the conflict by establishing an independent Palestinian State, side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel.<\/p>\n

Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will remove a driver of violent extremism and terrorism in the Middle East and open the doors to cooperation, security, prosperity and human rights for all.<\/p>\n

I repeat my offer to work with all relevant stakeholders to support a genuine peace process.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thank you, and I will now move on to my own remarks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Today is an occasion not only to reflect on the costs and consequences of 50\u00a0years of occupation, but also to look ahead at what must be done to end this situation.<\/p>\n

I understand the deep sense of despair of the Palestinian people. \u00a0For far too long, the international community has failed to find a just and lasting solution to their displacement. \u00a0The lives of generations of Palestinians and Israelis have been confined by a conflict that has shaped the physical and human landscape with concrete walls, checkpoints and watchtowers, all under a heavy atmosphere of fear, mutual distrust and despair.<\/p>\n

Some think that the situation can be managed. \u00a0They are all wrong. \u00a0It must be resolved. \u00a0Real peace cannot be achieved without a just and lasting resolution. \u00a0The two-State solution is the only path to ensure that Palestinians and Israelis can realize their national and historic aspirations and live in peace, security and dignity.\u00a0 As the Secretary-General has said, there is no Plan\u00a0B.<\/p>\n

That is why it is important to stop all unilateral actions that undermine the two-State solution. \u00a0Settlement construction, which is illegal under international law, is steadily preventing progress. \u00a0So is the unacceptable violence and incitement, which exacerbates mistrust between Palestinians and Israelis. \u00a0Militant activity and the absence of Palestinian unity also impede efforts to achieve a negotiated solution.<\/p>\n

The humanitarian costs of this prolonged conflict are undeniable and unsustainable. \u00a0Nearly half of the 4.8\u00a0million people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory depend on humanitarian assistance. \u00a0In Gaza, the humanitarian situation has rapidly deteriorated because of the current energy crisis. \u00a0The Palestinian Authority, Hamas \u2014 which has controlled Gaza for a decade \u2014 and Israel all have obligations for the welfare of Gaza\u2019s residents and must live up to their responsibilities.\u00a0 As usual, the most vulnerable are paying the highest price for political failure.<\/p>\n

For the last 50\u00a0years, the question of Palestine has remained a potent symbol and rallying cry that is easily misappropriated and exploited by extremist groups. \u00a0Realizing a two-State solution will not solve all the region\u2019s problems, but as long as the conflict persists, it will continue to feed them.<\/p>\n

Peace requires political will from all sides. \u00a0We, the international community, have a grave responsibility to support the process. \u00a0The Â鶹APP will stand firmly with the parties on the road to peace by working for a future in which Palestine and Israel live in security; in which both countries thrive as vibrant democracies; and in which civil society is able to play its role as a pillar of peacebuilding, without hindrance.<\/p>\n

I invite you all to reflect over the course of the next two days, on these possibilities, opportunities and on how we can turn this ambition into reality.\u00a0 We cannot wait for another generation of heartbreak before we realize the rights of all Palestinians.<\/p>\n

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you in the spirit of sustainable peace for the rights of all Palestinians.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
For information media. Not an official record.<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Please visit the Conference website for more information.   Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed\u2019s remarks at the opening of the June forum to mark 50\u00a0years of occupation of the Palestinian territory, in New York today: I will begin my remarks with a message from the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres: I send my warm greetings […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[2621,1329,2637],"document-source":[1753,3621,2173,1897],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1805],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542],"class_list":["post-120030","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-message","document-category-press-release","document-category-remarks","document-source-ceirpp","document-source-deputy-secretary-general","document-source-division-for-palestinian-rights-dpr","document-source-united-nations-department-of-public-information-dpi","document-subject-occupation","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/120030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/120030\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":300913,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/120030\/revisions\/300913"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=120030"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=120030"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=120030"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=120030"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=120030"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=120030"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=120030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}