UNGA Holds Emergency Meeting On Gaza

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) NEW YORK, Oct 26 (KUNA) -- The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday held an emergency meeting on the Israel-Palestine crisis, amid continuing deadlock in the Security Council and with conditions in the besieged Gaza Strip growing more dire by the hour.
The emergency session is expected to vote Friday on a Jordanian-backed draft resolution calling for a ceasefire.
The session convened under the "Uniting for Peace" mandate, empowering the Assembly to act when the Security Council is deadlocked over a critical matter of international peace and security.
Assembly President Dennis Francis called for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire and the opening of aid corridors to save lives.
The State of Palestine spoke first, making a powerful appeal to stop the killing for the sake of "all those who can be saved"
"We are meeting here while Palestinians in Gaza are under the bombs," Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine, said at the UNGC session.
"You are speaking while families are being killed, while hospitals are coming to a halt, while neighbourhoods are being destroyed, while people are fleeing from one place to another with no safe place to go."
"There is no time to mourn," he said tearfully, pointing to the rising death toll. "If you do not stop it for all those who have been killed, stop it for all those who can be saved."
Citing personal accounts of life on the ground, he said humanitarian aid is badly needed. Hospitals are operating without anaesthetics, with doctors and patients alike wondering if help is on the way.
"This time, it's just too much," he said.
Mansour, recalling Israel's recent comments in the UN Security Council about how its people are suffering, said Palestinians are suffering too. Israel's representative had called to "release the hostages, then takes two million Palestinians hostage", he added.
There are 1,000 Palestinians killed every day, he said, adding that nothing can justify war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"Why not feel a sense of urgency to ending the killing," he said. "You are setting us back 80 years by trying to justify what Israel is doing now."
Palestinians have survived decades of occupation, 16 years of a blockade and five wars in Gaza, he said.
The answer to the killing of Israelis and Palestinians is not more killing, he said, asking the UN membership to uphold UN principles and keep future generations from the scourge of war.
"The only path forward is justice for the Palestinian people," he said.
"Vote to stop the killing, vote to stop this madness," he said. "Choose justice, not vengeance. Choose peace, not more wars. Vote to put an end to almost three weeks of the worst double standards we have seen in decades. Do not miss this chance. Lives are hanging in the balance. Please, save lives, save lives, save lives."
Jordan, on behalf of the Arab Group, said it will table a resolution to "make a stand for peace", after Security Council's repeated failure to reach any consensus.
"Vote for it; make a stand," he said.
"Let's make a collective cry, a cry out against more bloodletting," he said. "Let's unite for peace."
"Make a stand for peace, make a stand for life, make it clear, make it firm," he said, calling for a moment of silence for all the civilians and innocents who have perished during this war.
The Jordanian top diplomat stressed that "there is no room for grey areas".
"We must stand for peace, our human values and the UN Charter," he said. "History will judge us. Say no to war. Say no to the killing. Call out war crimes."
As the killing continues, he said the Israeli Government have cabinet members that call for "wiping out Palestinians from the face of this Earth".
"Israel is making Gaza a hell on Earth," he said. "The trauma will haunt generations to come."
Israel must uphold values, he said. "The right to self-defence is not a right to impunity; Israel cannot remain above the law," he said. "Let the guns go silent and let the will to live and let live prevail. Let's restore faith in the peace process as the only path to ending this conflict once and for all." (end)
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