UN-Palestine-Israel
In the period under review, like every other single day in the last six decades, Palestinian people have been subjected to daily brutalities of the Israeli regime who has continued to systematically violate the Palestinians' most basic legitimate and inalienable rights Iranian ambassador to United Nations Mansour Sadeghi told an open debate on grave situation in the Middle East led by Under-Secretary General for political affairs Mr. Lynn Pascoe for briefing the Security Council on the issue.

While the Israeli regime hypocritically speaks of peace, but in practice it has persisted and even increased its abhorrent crimes against the innocent Palestinians and others in the region; and as the realities on the ground abundantly suggest, its systematic pattern of human rights violations and massive breaches of international law and international humanitarian law have been continuing unabated.

Continuation of military operations against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, particularly the most recent inhumane and criminal Israeli acts against schools, medical centers and other civilian institutions in the West Bank, and imposition of a humanitarian crisis on the whole population of the Gaza Strip through closures and restrictions on movement and access of persons and goods, even in terms of humanitarian and medical necessities, have once again displayed the gross violations of the most basic human rights and the fundamental principles of international law by the Israeli regime.

During the period under review and as a consequence of Israeli military campaign, the human and material losses inflicted on the Palestinian people have continued to rise. A case in point is the continuation of the brutal blockade of the Gaza Strip that has made the lives of the innocent Palestinians living there unbearable.

"Four years have passed since the International Court of Justice rendered its advisory opinion on the legal consequences of the construction of the illegal separation Wall in the Palestinian territories. The construction of the unlawful separation Wall not only is an illegal act of dire consequences against the Palestinian people, but it is a clear indication of the aggressive, racist and expansionist policies adopted and pursued by the Israeli regime.

"Despite the unambiguous opposition of the international community to the construction of the illegal Wall, the Israeli regime has continued and even expanded the construction of the Wall with full impunity. It has indeed added to the sufferings and the difficult plight of the Palestinian people who, at the same time, have been suffering, and continue to suffer, from other Israeli atrocities such as appalling massacres, extrajudicial killings, home demolitions and other Israeli atrocious crimes.

"Instead of heeding the international community's calls to terminate this illegal act, the said regime has continued the construction of the Wall bringing about, inter alia, violation of the freedom of movement of the Palestinian people and of their right to work, worship, health, education and adequate living standards, and has forced the eviction of Palestinian civilians from their homes and lands- that has in turn shattered apart many families.

"The international community must hold the Israeli regime accountable for its illegal and criminal actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and, as the ICJ also demanded in its advisory opinion, that regime must terminate its breaches of international law; cease forthwith the works of construction of the wall; immediately dismantle the structure; repeal and render ineffective forthwith all legislative and regulatory acts relating thereto and make reparations for all the damages that this apartheid wall has caused.

"In violation of numerous UN resolutions and despite repeated calls made by various UN organs and agencies, construction of the illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has continued and expanded. This serves as yet another indication that the Israeli regime's words about peace with Palestinians are deceitful and carry no validity.

"It is unfortunate that certain members permanently seated at the Security Council, by threatening to use veto, did not allow the initiative of the Arab Group in presenting a draft resolution to the Council condemning this illegal act, to proceed on time. The Council should fulfill its Charter-based mandate by taking action against the Israeli regime in order to immediately cease all its settlement activities and dismantle settlement outposts.

Mr. President,
We commend the people of Lebanon for their efforts to bring about national unity and reconciliation. We welcome the election of Mr.

Michael Suleiman as the President of Lebanon and the formation of national unity government. We together with others in the region spared no efforts to encourage and help all Lebanese to make these remarkable achievements possible.

"While the Israeli war machine is relentlessly at work shattering the lives and livelihoods of Palestinians, the Israeli regime persists on its aggressive policies towards Lebanon and others in the region too.

"It continues to occupy Syrian Golan Heights and also parts of Lebanese territory. The said regime is also violating the Security Council resolution 1701, particularly through violations of Lebanese airspace.

"Based on the most recent report of the Secretary General on resolution 1701, Israeli violation of Lebanese airspace has increased to "an unprecedented level". This is another showcase of Israeli regime's contempt for this Council and for its decisions.

"The Security Council, as an organ of the United Nations with the primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security, should live up to its responsibilities by preventing the Israeli regime from continuing to commit these atrocities and flout the will of the international community, incorporated in numerous UN resolutions.

"Regrettably, the Council has thus far failed to take any serious and tangible action in this regard due to the unconditional support extended to the Israeli regime by a permanent member of the Council.

These supports cannot but be regarded as an explicit support for the war crimes and unlawful activities persistently pursued by the Israeli regime.

"The Representative of the Israeli regime made some baseless and unworthy allegations and distortions against my country in this meeting today. I wish to place on record that my delegation rejects these absurd allegations and distortions. No one needs to be reminded that these are tired and known practices by the said regime and its representatives to distract the international community's attention from the horrendous crimes committed by the Israeli regime against the peoples under its occupation on a daily basis. Nor any one needs to be reminded- and let there be no illusion for the representative of the Israeli regime too- that the said regime has only inflicted bloodshed, state-terrorism, aggression, occupation and crimes against humanity on the mankind. Undoubtedly the said regime's wicked behaviors and policies coupled with its clandestine nuclear arsenal has made it the most serious and immediate threat that the civilized world is facing today.

"Before concluding, Mr. President, I wish to draw your attention to the issue of Iranian diplomats and journalist abducted 26 years ago at this month by an Israeli-sponsored paramilitary group in Lebanon during the Israeli occupation of the country. As we have already communicated to you through the UN Secretary General, on 5th of July 1982, during the invasion of Lebanon and the occupation of Beirut by the Israeli regime, three members of the staff of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Beirut as well as an Iranian journalist were abducted in Lebanon while returning, by a diplomatic vehicle, from Syria to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in west Beirut. There are various news reports and numerous signs well indicating that the said Iranian officials were immediately handed over to the Israeli military forces after their abduction, as Beirut had been occupied by the Israeli forces at the time.

The reports further indicate that the abducted Iranian officials were subsequently taken to the Israeli prisons and have been since then under the captivity of the Israeli regime.

"This illegal and inhumane act is against the most fundamental international rules and principles, and also contravenes numerous United Nations resolutions."
"The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is of the strong view that the Israeli regime is responsible for this abduction and for the fate of the said Iranian diplomats and journalist," the ambassador said.

"We call on the Security Council to take appropriate
action to help secure their release and safe return home after many years of their illegal abduction and detention," Sadeghi said.

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