{"id":314411,"date":"2025-12-31T12:26:30","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T17:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=314411"},"modified":"2025-12-31T12:27:58","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T17:27:58","slug":"newsletter-on-un-palestinian-rights-committee-activities-no-26-october-december-2025","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/newsletter-on-un-palestinian-rights-committee-activities-no-26-october-december-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsletter on UN Palestinian Rights Committee Activities\u00a0\u2013 No. 26\u00a0\/\u00a0October \u2013 December\u00a02025\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

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1. Committee Chair\u202fcalls for protection of civilians and full respect for international law<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

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On\u202f7 October,\u202fin a\u202f<\/span>post<\/a><\/em>\u202fon\u202fX\u202f(former \u201cTwitter\u201d)\u202fthe\u202fChair of the\u00a0Committee,\u00a0Ambassador\u00a0Coly Seck\u202fissued the following statement:\u202f\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marking 7 October, we once again strongly condemn the deadly attacks, we remember every innocent life lost and every family in grief. The pain is profound and ongoing. We strongly condemn the devastating consequences of the disproportionate response. The scale of Israel\u2019s reprisals, now devastating civilian life through bombardment, starvation and displacement, is manifestly disproportionate. Gaza is in ruins. Gaza is starving. Famine is\u00a0man-made\u00a0when aid is blocked. We urge protection of civilians, release of all remaining hostages and Palestinian detainees, safe humanitarian access, and full respect\u00a0for international law. The path to peace begins with life-saving access, lawful conduct by all parties, and justice for victims. As the International Court of Justice has made clear, Israel\u2019s occupation has no legal basis and must be\u00a0brought to an end\u00a0immediately, with full accountability and reparations to the Palestinian people.\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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2. UN Palestinian Rights Committee calls for urgent action at Security Council debate<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

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On 23 October, the Chair of the\u00a0Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People\u00a0(CEIRPP hereinafter), Ambassador Coly Seck, called for the immediate end of the unlawful occupation of the whole of the Palestinian territory. He noted that at least 97 Palestinians, including children, had been killed and more than 230 wounded in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire agreed on 10 October. The Committee urged rapid,\u00a0safe\u00a0and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza, including for the United Nations and its agencies, emphasizing UNRWA as the backbone of UN humanitarian operations. It also called for the urgent restoration of basic services for the Palestinian civilian population, including health care, water and sanitation, and education for hundreds of thousands of children.\u00a0<\/span>Read the complete statement here.<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. UN Palestinian Rights Committee Bureau\u202fwelcomes the Advisory Opinion by the International Court of Justice <\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

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4. Enhancing Diplomatic Skills: Highlights from the 2025 UN Capacity-Building\u202fProgramme\u202ffor Palestinian Civil Servants\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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From 27 October to 5 December 2025, United Nations Headquarters in New York hosted a six-week capacity-building programme for civil servants from the State of Palestine. The programme, organized by the Division for Palestinian Rights within the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, took place alongside the work of the 80th session of the General Assembly, giving participants direct exposure to the UN\u2019s core deliberative processes.\u00a0Representing\u00a0the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ramallah,\u00a0two\u00a0diplomats\u00a0took part in in-depth discussions on peace and security, multilateral diplomacy, and key global issues currently shaping the UN agenda. The training\u00a0provided\u00a0valuable insight into both the formal procedures and informal dynamics of the General Assembly, strengthening practical diplomatic skills.\u202fMore\u202fdetails about the\u202fprogramme\u202fare available on the\u202f<\/em><\/span>Committee website<\/em><\/span><\/a>.\u202f\u202f<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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5. <\/strong><\/span>Committee\u00a0receives\u00a0briefing\u00a0from\u00a0UN Special Rapporteurs and the Commission of Inquiry\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"A <\/span><\/h2>\n

On 30 October 2025, the Committee\u00a0convened\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>virtual briefing<\/a><\/em>\u00a0titled\u00a0<\/span>\u201cSafeguarding Human Rights, Ensuring Accountability and Ending the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0The discussion addressed two years of severe suffering in Gaza and recent developments following the 13 October 2025 Gaza Peace Summit, including a fragile ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces.\u00a0Speakers stressed that accountability must be universal and evidence-based, calling on Member States to act on legal obligations\u00a0identified\u00a0by the International Court of Justice, draw lessons from the Hague Group\u2019s approach, and avoid reconstruction policies that risk entrenching displacement.\u00a0<\/span>The summary of the event is available here.<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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6. Committee Delegation Visits Bras\u00edlia, Brazil<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

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\u00a0<\/span>On 10 November, a delegation of the\u00a0CEIRPP\u00a0Bureau visited Bras\u00edlia, Brazil.\u00a0The delegation held bilateral meetings with Brazilian officials to strengthen cooperation and advance efforts toward a just and lasting solution to the\u00a0question of Palestine.\u00a0Discussions with representatives of the Ministries of Human Rights and Citizenship and Foreign Affairs, as well as members of the Brazilian Senate, focused on accountability for human rights violations, Gaza\u2019s reconstruction, sustaining public attention on Palestinian rights, and promoting broader international recognition of the State of Palestine. Brazilian counterparts reaffirmed their\u00a0strong support\u00a0for Palestine and commended the Committee\u2019s work.\u00a0<\/span>More details are available here.<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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7. Committee marks its 50<\/span><\/b>th<\/span><\/b>\u00a0anniversary\u00a0and 50 years of dedication<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

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On\u202f10 November,\u00a0in a\u202f<\/span>post<\/a><\/em>\u202fon\u202fX\u202f(former \u201cTwitter\u201d)\u202fthe\u202fChair of the Committee,\u00a0Ambassador Coly Seck,\u202fissued the following statement:\u202f\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

50 years ago, on 10 November 1975, the UN General Assembly\u00a0established\u00a0the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.\u00a0The Committee was created to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable rights to self-determination, independence, sovereignty, and return. Over the decades, the Committee has advocated for advancing the peace\u00a0process and\u00a0mobilising global efforts to uphold their rights.\u00a0As we mark 50 years of dedication, we honour the Committee\u2019s enduring mission and reaffirm our commitment to a just and lasting solution grounded in dignity, equality, and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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8. UN Palestinian Rights Committee holds Consultations with Civil Society in Chile\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\u00a0<\/span>On 12 November 2025, the\u00a0<\/span>2nd 2025 Civil Society Consultations<\/a><\/em>\u00a0were\u00a0organized by the\u00a0CEIRPP\u00a0at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago, Chile. The theme of the Consultations was\u00a0<\/span>\u201cEngagement with Latin American Civil Society & Palestinian Diaspora: \u201cA Call for Action to Ensure Recovery and Healing in Gaza and to End Israel\u2019s Illegal Occupation\u201d<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0During the\u00a0<\/span>event<\/a><\/em>,\u202fGovernment<\/em> authorities and representatives of civil society organizations and the Palestinian diaspora in Latin America reaffirmed their commitment to and solidarity with the Palestinian people, and called on the international community to ensure the ceasefire and the comprehensive recovery of Gaza, urging for an end to Israel\u2019s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territory and for resolute progress to be made on implementing the two-State solution as the surest path towards peace and security in the Middle East.\u202f<\/span>The summary of the event is available here.<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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9. UN Palestinian Rights Committee Delegation Visits Santiago, Chile<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

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On 11-13 November,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in the margins of the\u00a0<\/span>2nd 2025 Civil Society Consultations<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0the Committee Delegation\u00a0held\u00a0a number of\u00a0bilateral meetings to strengthen cooperation and advance efforts toward a just and lasting solution on the question of Palestine.\u00a0The Committee Delegation also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alberto van\u00a0Klaveren, and former Chilean diplomats and current international affairs practitioners at the Permanent Forum on Foreign Policy. It\u00a0also\u00a0held bilateral meetings with current and former Chilean parliamentarians as well as the President of the Palestinian Community in Chile\u00a0to learn about the engagement of the Palestinian community vis-\u00e0-vis the question of Palestine and efforts in parliament, such as the proposed law banning the import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). The Delegation held discussions with students at the Institute of International Studies (IEI) of the University of Chile, centring around the work of the Committee, the situation in Gaza and the wider OPT.\u00a0<\/span>The Press release on\u00a0the delegation visit is available here<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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10. <\/span>UN Palestinian Rights\u202fCommittee\u00a0Bureau\u202fmeets\u00a0with the\u202fPresident of the\u00a0UN\u00a0General Assembly\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

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On 19 November, the\u00a0CEIRPP\u00a0Bureau held its annual meeting with the President of the General Assembly. The discussion focused on building on the momentum generated by the 2025\u00a0High-level International\u00a0<\/span>Conference<\/a><\/em>\u00a0for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution as well as\u00a0the adoption of the\u00a0<\/span>New York Declaration<\/a><\/em>, with a view to advancing concrete steps toward the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/p>\n

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11. The Committee Marks the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Graphic\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On 25 November, the\u202fCEIRPP\u202fheld a special meeting\u00a0on the occasion of\u00a0the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People at UN headquarters in New York. The event offered an opportunity for Member States, regional\u00a0organizations\u00a0and civil society to share messages of solidarity with the Palestinian people. The event featured a \u201cVoice from Gaza\u201d,\u00a0Palestinian journalist\u00a0Shrouq\u00a0Al Aila and Palestinian writer Mosab Abu Toha, who gave a keynote speech and read some of his poetry.\u00a0Similar events took place at UN offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna as well as others throughout the world.\u00a0<\/span>More details about the commemoration\u00a0as well as the messages of solidarity received from States and Organizations\u00a0are available here.<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/span>12. The\u202fPalestinian Rights Committee Chair\u202fdelivers remarks at 2025 International Media\u202fseminar on\u202fpeace in the Middle East<\/span><\/b>\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

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13. Screening of \u201cThe Voice of Hind Rajab\u201d at the UN Headquarters in New York\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

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\u00a014. Publications\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/span>On 4 December, the\u202fCEIRPP\u202forganized\u00a0a screening of the film \u201cThe Voice of Hind Rajab\u201d at\u202fUN Headquarters in New York, followed by a\u00a0panel\u00a0discussion with the director, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania.\u00a0During the discussion, the director said\u00a0that\u00a0the film began when she heard Hind\u2019s recorded voice, which\u00a0\u201chaunted her and pushed her\u201d\u00a0to respond through filmmaking, turning statistics about Gaza into a single, human story that spoke for much more than one child. With Hind\u2019s mother\u2019s blessing and her demand for justice rather than delay, she made the film urgently to honour Hind\u2019s\u00a0final moments\u00a0and to contribute to accountability, believing peace is impossible without justice.\u00a0The President of the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Palestine Red Crescent Society\u00a0stated\u00a0that the failure to save Hind and the killing of humanitarian workers reflects\u00a0a collapse of the international humanitarian system and a loss of shared humanity that demands justice and accountability.\u00a0<\/span>More details about the event are available here<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On 1 December, the\u00a0CEIRPP\u00a0Chair,\u00a0Ambassador\u00a0Coly Seck, delivered\u00a0remarks\u202fat the 2025 International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East, underscoring that journalism in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is indispensable to truth,\u00a0accountability\u00a0and peace.\u00a0He highlighted systematic attacks on media workers, severe restrictions on\u202faccess to information, and the collapse of reporting environments in both Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. He reaffirmed the Committee\u2019s unwavering commitment to protecting journalists and defending press freedom as a cornerstone of any meaningful response and lasting peace.\u202f<\/span>The complete remarks are available here<\/a><\/em>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On 24 October,\u00a0the\u00a0CEIRPP\u00a0Bureau\u00a0welcomed the 22 October 2025\u00a0<\/span>Advisory Opinion<\/a><\/em>\u00a0of the International Court of Justice, which reaffirmed Israel\u2019s binding obligations as the Occupying Power under international law and the permanent responsibility\u00a0of the United Nations\u00a0with respect to the question of Palestine. The Court found that Gaza\u2019s population is\u00a0\u201cinadequately\u201d\u00a0supplied and that Israel is violating its obligations under international humanitarian law by obstructing humanitarian relief, stressing that security claims cannot justify such actions, and recognizing UNRWA\u2019s indispensable role as the backbone of humanitarian\u00a0assistance.\u00a0The Bureau deplored the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and called for immediate, unimpeded humanitarian access, protection of UN personnel and facilities, and respect for UN privileges and immunities.\u00a0<\/span>The press release is available here.<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n