Speech by Cuba’s Foreign Minister at NAM meeting

HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 17 (ACN) Below is the full text of Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla’s speech at the Ministerial Committee Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on Palestine.

“His Excellency Mr. Jeyhun Bayramov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan:

Your Excellency General Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda:

Dear Ministers and Heads of Delegation:

Distinguished Delegates and Guests:

I appreciate the information presented by Minister Mansur.

The international community is witnessing the genocide being perpetrated against the Palestinian people.

Israel, the Occupying Power, is attacking the defenseless population in Gaza with bombs and missiles. With its "philosophy of dispossession", Israel has caused a humanitarian catastrophe of extreme proportions in the Palestinian territory illegally occupied for 75 years.

Nothing can justify such barbarism. We demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire, as well as the delivery of unrestricted humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Cuba condemns in the strongest terms the assassinations of civilians, especially women, children and humanitarian workers of the United Nations system; the indiscriminate bombardments against the population in Gaza and the destruction of homes, hospitals and civilian infrastructure; as well as the deprivation of water, food, electricity and fuel services to the Palestinian population.

These actions considerably worsen the precarious humanitarian situation resulting from the blockade of the Gaza Strip and constitute flagrant violations of international humanitarian law.

The forced displacement of Palestinians from land that is rightfully theirs must stop. We reject all the actions of the Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, which have intensified the repression and assassinations of the Palestinians who inhabit it, in flagrant violation of international law.

The impunity with which the Israeli government acts must cease, which can only be explained by its confidence that it will not be held accountable for its actions, as it has the backing of the US government and other NATO allies.

It is unacceptable that the Security Council keeps failing to enforce its own resolutions to stop the excesses of Israel, the Occupying Power, in which the United States has historically been complicit, by repeatedly obstructing and using the veto to prevent action by the body, undermining regional peace, security and stability.

Every minute of impunity, inaction, double standards or silence will cost more innocent lives. The international community must act now.

Cuba reiterates its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian cause and reaffirms that it will never be among the indifferent.

In the present circumstances, the protection of the civilian population is an absolute priority.

Cuba proposes that this Committee recommend to the 19th NAM Summit, which begins the day after tomorrow, to support the urgent dispatch to the Gaza Strip of an International Protection Mission, authorized by the United Nations General Assembly and entrusted with the security and protection of the civilian population, and to facilitate the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid and food.

We will continue to contribute as much as possible to international efforts aimed at putting an end to the current situation.

In this context, our country supports the claim of the Republic of South Africa before the International Court of Justice against Israel, in relation to the latter's violations of its obligations as a State Party to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

This procedure before the main UN organ of justice should also be understood and heeded as an urgent call to stop the horrible international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and apartheid committed against the Palestinian people.

Our country also supports the convening of an International Peace Conference with the purpose of guaranteeing the exercise of the rights of the Palestinian people. We also express our support for the prompt accession of the Palestinian State as a full Member State of the United Nations.

The search for an immediate solution to this conflict, in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, is a primary duty of the Non-Aligned Movement, which should urgently call for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the creation of two States, allowing the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and to have an independent and sovereign State within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and also guaranteeing the right of return of refugees.

Thank you very much.”