Forty-third Annual Meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77, NY, 27 Sept. 2019 – Ministerial Declaration (Excerpts)

Annex I to the letter dated 2 October 2019 from the Permanent
Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations addressed
to the Secretary-General

Forty-third annual meeting of ministers for foreign affairs of the
Group of 77

New York, 27 September 2019

Ministerial Declaration

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210. The Ministers reaffirmed their unwavering support for the just cause of Palestine and solidarity with the Palestinian people. They reaffirmed their principled and long-standing support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the achievement of their legitimate national aspirations, including for freedom, independence, justice, peace and dignity in their independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Ministers expressed deep regret about the absence of a political horizon for bringing an end to the Israeli occupation and achieving the rights of the Palestinian people and the two-State solution based on the pre-1967 borders, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, including the principle of land for peace and the Arab Peace Initiative. They called for the exertion by the international community of the necessary efforts in support of these objectives, stressing the urgency of intensified efforts to achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive solution and peace.
211. The Ministers reiterated their call for the immediate and full withdrawal of Israel, the occupying Power, from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of 4 June 1967 and from the remaining Lebanese occupied land. They reaffirmed their support for a Middle East peace process aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions, including Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 425 (1978), 497 (1981) 1850 (2008) and 2334 (2016) and the principle of land for peace. In this context, they also reaffirmed their support for the Arab Peace Initiative, endorsed by the Arab Summit Conference in March 2002.
212. The Ministers condemned any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the occupied Syrian Golan and declared that such unilateral decisions have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded, in compliance with relevant Security Council resolutions.
213. The Ministers deplored the systematic, grave breaches of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, committed by Israel They called for accountability for these violations and called upon the Security Council, in line with its Charter duty for the maintenance of international peace and security, to undertake serious follow-up efforts to bring an end to Israel’s impunity and realize justice for the victims and to contribute to a peaceful and just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
214. The Ministers deplored the continuing de-development of the Gaza Strip and the dire humanitarian crisis, severe socio-economic conditions and challenges, including widespread poverty and unemployment and water, sanitation and energy crises facing the civilian population, in particular as a result of the ongoing Israeli blockade and the lasting and massive negative impact of the successive military aggressions committed by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian civilian population in the occupied Gaza Strip. The Ministers reiterated their demand for the immediate and full lifting of the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, which constitutes massive collective punishment. They expressed grave concern about the continuing obstruction of recovery due to the Israeli blockade and the resulting deterioration of infrastructure and services and called for urgent measures to advance reconstruction.
215. The Ministers requested all members of the international community, the UN and other international organizations and non-governmental organizations to continue providing much-needed developmental and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, among them Palestine refugees, during this critical period, particularly for reconstruction and economic recovery in the Gaza Strip, including through the UN agencies present on the ground.
216. The Ministers reiterated their concern in this regard about the recurrent financial crisis and under-funding of UNRWA, exacerbated by the termination of funding by one of the Agency’s largest donors. They urged States to contribute to UNRWA and urged their strong support for the continuing efforts to follow-up the Secretary-General’s report (A/71/849) and relevant recommendations aimed at mobilizing more sufficient, sustained and predictable funding to the Agency, including by the UN, to ensure the Agency’s effective operation and uninterrupted provision of vital humanitarian and development assistance to the Palestine refugees, in accordance with its General Assembly mandate, including its education, health, and relief and social services, which have been recognized as promoting 10 of the 17 SDGs.
217. They appealed to States and organizations for the maintenance of their voluntary contributions to the Agency, as well as an increase in contributions where possible, and also appealed for the support of new donors, to meet the needs of the Palestine refugees and essential associated costs of operations. They urged strong support for the triennial renewal of the mandate of UNRWA, in accordance with the continuing responsibility of the international community as a whole to assist the Palestine refugees, pending a just solution in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions.
218. The Ministers expressed deep concern about the further decline of the social and economic conditions of the Palestinian people as a result of illegal Israeli practices, which include, but are not limited to, the continuing colonization of Palestinian land by Israel, the occupying Power, in grave breach of international humanitarian law and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, as well as in flagrant violation of relevant UN resolutions, including, inter alia, Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), and disrespect of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. In this connection, the Ministers demanded a halt to Israel’s confiscation of Palestinian property, construction and expansion of Israeli settlements and the wall, demolition of Palestinian homes and forced displacement of Palestinian civilians and called for full respect of international law and all relevant resolutions. They also expressed grave concern over the frequent acts of violence, terror and incitement against Palestinian civilians and the destruction of Palestinian properties by Israeli settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and called for action to hold the perpetrators accountable for these crimes.
219. The Ministers reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and of the population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, including land, water and energy resources, and demanded that Israel, the occupying Power, cease the exploitation, damage, cause of loss or depletion and endangerment of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, which constitute violations of international law and severely undermine their ability to pursue sustainable development.

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