Varsen Agabekian, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, addresses the Security Council. 20 January 2025.
Photo: UN Photo/Loey Felipe
The Gaza Strip is an integral part of the State of Palestine, Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Varsen Agabekian said during an open debate of the UN Security Council on Monday on the situation in the Middle East, The Jerusalem Post reports.
“We reaffirm that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories, and the State of Palestine has had legal and political jurisdiction over the territory, including East Jerusalem, since 1967,” Agabekian said.
It condemned attempts to divide Palestinian land or forcibly transfer the population, calling it a violation of international law and norms established by international legitimacy.
“We emphasise the need to preserve our national identity, the unity of the people and territories under the auspices of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, which is the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people,” the minister added.
The Algerian Chairmanship Debate
The session, entitled “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”, was organised under the chairmanship of Algeria, which holds the presidency of the UN Security Council in January. The session was attended by delegations from Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Lebanon, Ireland and other countries.
Israel’s position
Reut Shapir Ben Naftali, Political Coordinator of the Israeli Mission to the United Nations, also spoke at the meeting, drawing attention to the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
“The Security Council must acknowledge an inconvenient truth. It has called for the release of the hostages, but Hamas has ignored these demands. At the same time, it is Israel that has been criticised, while no action has been taken against the kidnappers of babies and the elderly,” she said.
