20 September 2016
GA/11822
As Annual General Debate Begins, Secretary-General Calls for World Leaders’ Commitment to ‘New Heights of Solidarity’ in Forging Better Future
Member States Must Forge Strategic Partnerships around Climate, Conflict, Diseases, Other Issues, General Assembly President Says
Seventy-First Session, 8th, 9th & 10th Meetings (AM, PM & Night)
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More broadly, he lamented that prospects for a two-State solution between Israel and the Palestinians were diminishing by the day, and that the fifth nuclear test by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea had threatened international security.
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More broadly, one year ago, Palestine had raised its flag at United Nations Headquarters, yet the prospects for a two-State solution were being lowered by the day, he said, adding that it pained him that the past decade had been 10 years lost to illegal settlement expansion, to intra-Palestinian divide and to growing polarization.
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IDRISS DEBY ITNO, President of Chad,…On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he underscored the need for an independent and viable Palestinian State, and called for a relaunch of the peace process.
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SHEIKH TAMIM BIN HAMAD AL-THANI, Amir of Qatar, warned against the “selectivity” of the Security Council in addressing world problems, particularly those relating to the use of force. He highlighted, in particular, the international community’s failure to bring about a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the lack of action in the face of violations of so-called red lines in Syria.
Recalling Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights and that country’s continuing occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, he said they were based on discrimination and racial segregation. In that regard, Qatar called upon the Security Council to impose an international consensus on a two-State solution, including the establishment of a Palestinian State along the pre-1967 lines and with East Jerusalem as its capital. Until such a time, “the Arab peoples can’t accept any kind of normalization of relations with Israel”, he emphasized.
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FRANÇOIS HOLLANDE, President of France,…Turning to the matter of Israel-Palestine, he said the objective was to meet by the end of the year for a conference where both sides could negotiate.
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On the Arab-Israeli conflict, the hand of peace remained extended through the Arab Peace Initiative, he said, and appealed to the Israeli people to look for a solution. “We have an opportunity to move towards peace,” he said. The Egyptian experience could be repeated by establishing a Palestinian State side by side with the Israeli State.
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He expressed hope for a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying there was still a way to build peace and a sustainable settlement of the conflict. There could still be a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian State alongside the State of Israel, whose legitimate security aspirations must be guaranteed.
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ABDULLAH II IBN AL HUSSEIN, King of Jordan,…No injustice had spread more bitter fruit than the denial of a Palestinian State, he said, stressing that Israel had to embrace peace or eventually be engulfed in a sea of hatred.
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BÉJI CAÏD ESSEBSI, President of Tunisia, …Among other things, he stressed that the Palestinian people must create an independent State and live in dignity.
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ABDEL FATTAH AL SISI, President of Egypt, …On the Arab-Israeli conflict, the hand of peace remained extended through the Arab Peace Initiative, he said, and appealed to the Israeli people to look for a solution. “We have an opportunity to move towards peace,” he said. The Egyptian experience could be repeated by establishing a Palestinian State side by side with the Israeli State.
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MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA, President of Portugal, …He expressed hope for a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying there was still a way to build peace and a sustainable settlement of the conflict. There could still be a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian State alongside the State of Israel, whose legitimate security aspirations must be guaranteed.
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MACKY SALL, President of Senegal, …Priority must be given to tackling all threats to international peace and security, including finding a fair solution to the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said.
For information media. Not an official record.
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/GA11822f.pdf
Document Type: French text, Press Release
Document Sources: General Assembly, United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)
Subject: Occupation, Peace proposals and efforts
Publication Date: 21/09/2016