Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the Palestinian people, with the support of the Group of 77 + China, are determined to overcome the historical injustice that has stifled their development and hindered their aspirations for a century.
He added, in his speech before the Group of 77 + China, held in the Cuban capital, Havana, that Israel’s policies and practices seek to consolidate its settler-colonial occupation and impose the reality of apartheid, which must not be tolerated.
He continued that the development situation in Palestine differs from that in other countries of the world, as it is subject to the system of institutional apartheid in Israel, the illegal occupation, and the colonial project that denies our right to development, as Israel, the occupying power, adopts systematic policies aimed at undermining the development of an entire people. .
The President stressed that this status quo must end, and we must move now to end the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, since 1967, and resolve all permanent status issues, including the issue of Palestinian refugees.
He said: We assure our partners in the Group of 77 and China that the Palestinian people will persevere and continue their legitimate struggle to achieve their rights, and they believe in the inevitability of freedom and prosperity because of their sacrifices and commitment to peace, as well as the firm and principled support from friends like you.
He renewed his sincere thanks to Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, and to the friendly Cuban people, for their support for the rights of the Palestinian people in all international forums, continuing his thanks to the leaders of countries and heads of delegations.
He said: We wish this conference success, looking forward to being able to hold it in the State of Palestine, as an expression of your moral and ethical support for our rights and aspirations.
Below is the text of the President’s speech:
His Excellency President Miguel Díaz-Canel,
President of the Republic of Cuba, and Chairman of the G77+ of China
His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Firstly, I would like to express our deep condolences to each of our brothers in the Kingdom of Morocco and the State of Libya, for the tragedy that befell them, which claimed the lives of thousands of victims.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I extend to Your Excellency many thanks for inviting us to participate in the work of this summit of the Group of 77+ China on the current development challenges facing the group, and the role of science, technology and innovation, which is an important strategic issue for the countries and peoples of this group, especially as it will enhance the stock of knowledge and capabilities in the field of scientific and technical development, stressing There is an urgent need for greater coordination and integration, in order to overcome challenges and move forward to achieve the aspirations of our peoples towards a bright future.
We meet in a period of uncertainty, when sustainable development in developing countries has taken a serious hit. Although much has been achieved since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, there is still much more to do. From the global pandemic to unilateral coercive measures, as starkly demonstrated by the blockade imposed on Cuba, with which we express our full solidarity, as well as the issue of widening inequality to climate change, the scale of today’s challenges is being widely felt across the global South. , in a worrying trend, putting developing countries immediately on the front lines.
Mr president,
The Global Agenda for Our Common Future is centered around the principles of justice and equity, leaving no one behind, including those who have been robbed of their right to self-determination and freedom, especially the Palestinian people who continue to suffer under Israeli occupation, and as a result face increasing challenges related to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. In terms of pace and scope.
Therefore, the development situation in Palestine differs from that in other countries of the world, as it is subject to the system of institutional apartheid in Israel, the illegal occupation, and the colonial project that denies our right to development, as Israel, the occupying power, adopts systematic policies aimed at undermining the development of an entire people. .
We have recently faced, along with other countries, the dire consequences of the global economic crisis, inflation and rising prices of basic commodities, including food and oil products.
It is known to all that the illegal policies of colonizing our land, plundering our wealth and natural resources, collective punishment, environmental degradation, and restrictions on movement imposed by the occupying power have led to the destruction of our economy.
Therefore, our economy cannot be sustainable or viable under continued occupation, when more than 60% of Palestinian land is outside the scope of Palestinian development, and when illegal Israeli settlements, the apartheid wall and settler-only roads continue to expand in light of escalating violence. The occupation army and the terrorism of terrorist settlers, so how can there be sustainable prosperity or development?
In 2011, the international community, including the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and others, recognized Palestine’s institutional readiness for independence.
12 years have passed since then, during which we faced a serious economic crisis, due to Israeli intransigence on the political path and illegal practices on the ground. This crisis poses an important moral and political question to the international community, which has invested politically and economically in the two-state solution. Isn’t it time to end This complex historical injustice that affected the Palestinian people?
Mr president,
The Palestinian people, with the support of the Group of 77 and China, which we had the honor of chairing in 2019, are determined to overcome the historical injustices that have stifled their development and hindered their aspirations for a century. As we speak, Israel’s policies and practices seek to entrench its settler colonial occupation. Imposing the reality of apartheid, which must not be tolerated.
This status quo must end, and we must act now to end the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, since 1967, and resolve all permanent status issues, including the issue of Palestinian refugees. All Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons must also be released.
In the face of the exceptional circumstances that the Palestinian people are going through, we are confident that our group will continue to support us, and will continue to defend the ideals and principles of the Group of 77 and China.
At the same time, we assure our partners in the Group of 77 and China that the Palestinian people will persevere and continue their legitimate struggle to achieve their rights, believing in the inevitability of freedom and prosperity due to their sacrifices and commitment to peace, as well as the steadfast and principled support of friends like you.
We renew our sincere thanks to President Canel and the friendly Cuban people for their support for the rights of our people in all international forums. Our thanks go to all of you, brothers and sisters, leaders of countries and heads of delegations, and we wish this conference a success, looking forward to being able to hold it in the State of Palestine, as an expression of your moral and ethical support for our rights. And our aspirations. Peace be upon you
Source: Maan News Agency