UN Experts Urge Unified Palestinian Gov't In Gaza

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) GENEVA, Jan 17 (KUNA) -- UN experts emphasized on Friday the essential importance of Gaza coming under one unified and legitimate Palestinian government, saying this must be rooted in the Palestinian people's self-determination and a full commitment to international law.
In a statement issued from Geneva, around thirty UN experts and special rapporteurs, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese, described the violence destruction and suffering over the past year as a "reflection of decades of forced displacement and collective political failures".
They also called for all journalists including the international media to be granted full free and safe access to Gaza.
They called on the Israeli occupation to cease obstructing investigations by the International Criminal Court's the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and allow UN Special Procedures to conduct country visits. "Justice for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity is owed to the millions directly affected by the brutal violence of the past year" they said.
The experts stressed that this must be the opportunity to start resolving the Question of Palestine in line with international law. "The occupation that began in 1967 must end and the international community must ensure the independence and full sovereignty of the State of Palestine in line with the 1967 borders" the experts said.
The experts also emphasized the necessity of addressing the root causes of the conflict and called for an immediate end to the 17-year blockade of Gaza and the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from lands internationally recognized as part of the Palestinian state.
"Ending the occupation and apartheid alongside justice for atrocities is the only path to breaking the cycle of violence and creating a lasting peace," they stressed:
They pointed out the necessity of dismantling systemic racial segregation and apartheid as ordered by the International Court of Justice in July 2024.
They stressed that "Only the long overdue end to the occupation apartheid and ensuring justice for atrocities committed will end cycles of violence in the region and underpin a durable peace".
The statement reported that ongoing indiscriminate airstrikes on Gaza persisted even after a ceasefire deal and expressed hope that the agreement would bring an end to 15 months of extreme suffering.
They also called for the right of return for Palestinians displaced since 1948 allowing them to rebuild their lives and end the cycle of forced exile. Additionally they stressed the need for nearly two million displaced people in Gaza to return safely to their homes and rebuild without fear of further displacement or persecution.
"This must be the turning point to halt the catastrophic loss of life genocidal violence and massive destruction that have devastated Gaza," the experts said.
They noted that over 70 percent of Gazaآ's civilian infrastructure had been destroyed mainly due to relentless bombings saying that the immediate focus must be on ensuring humanitarian aid, early recovery and reparations for affected communities.
"The immediate need is for shelter during winter with many children already dead from hypothermia and food water and medical and other essential supplies," the experts concluded. (End)
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