The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People was commemorated today at a Special Meeting held at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, chaired the meeting and read out the message of António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, who said that every year on this day, the international community stood in solidarity for the dignity, rights, justice and self-determination of the Palestinian people. This year’s commemoration was especially painful, as those fundamental goals were as distant as they had ever been. It was past time for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages; an end to the unlawful occupation of the Palestinian territory; and irreversible progress towards a two-State solution.
In his statement, Mr. Guterres appealed for full support of lifesaving humanitarian relief for the Palestinian people – in particular through the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which represented an irreplaceable lifeline for millions of Palestinians. The United Nations would continue to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights to live in peace, security and dignity, he concluded.
State of Palestine, reading out a statement on behalf of Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, said the Palestinian people had endured 420 days of an ongoing genocidal war which had led to more than 150,000 casualties, the majority of them children, women and the elderly, killed and maimed by the Israeli occupying forces. An urgent international intervention was needed to stop this tragedy. Practical steps needed to be taken to deter the occupation, including by suspending Israel’s membership in the United Nations. It was also imperative to reject Israel’s plans to separate Gaza from the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and stop the settlements, killings and settler terrorism. A firm international consensus was needed to achieve peace and stability in accordance with international law, to actualise the independence of the State of Palestine and achieve its full membership of the United Nations.
The Special Meeting was also addressed by Namibia on behalf of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People; Sri Lanka on behalf of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories; the League of Arab States; the Organization of Islamic Cooperation; Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement; the African Union; and the World Young Women’s Christian Association and the Young Women’s Christian Association of Palestine, representing non-governmental organizations accredited to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.
Messages or statements for the Day were received from the Heads of State and Government of Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Türkiye.
The Special Meeting was organised in observance of General Assembly resolution 32/40B of 2 December 1977.
Statements
TATIANA VALOVAYA, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, read out the message of ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, United Nations Secretary-General, who said that every year on this day, the international community stood in solidarity for the dignity, rights, justice and self-determination of the Palestinian people. This year’s commemoration was especially painful, as those fundamental goals were as distant as they had ever been.
Nothing justified the 7 October terror attacks by Hamas and the taking of hostages. And nothing justified the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. Yet, more than a year later, Gaza was in ruins, more than 43,000 Palestinians – mostly women and children – had been reportedly killed, and the humanitarian crisis was getting worse by the day. This was appalling and inexcusable.
Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli military operations, settlement expansion, evictions, demolitions, settler violence and threats of annexation were inflicting further pain and injustice.
It was past time for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages; an end to the unlawful occupation of the Palestinian territory – as confirmed by the International Court of Justice and the General Assembly; and irreversible progress towards a two-State solution, in line with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions – with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security, and Jerusalem as the capital of both States.
As a matter of urgency, Mr. Guterres appealed for full support of lifesaving humanitarian relief for the Palestinian people – in particular through the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which represented an irreplaceable lifeline for millions of Palestinians. The United Nations would continue to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights to live in peace, security and dignity.
Namibia, speaking on behalf of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, said today’s gathering was a solemn reminder of unfulfilled promises, denied rights and the historic injustice endured by the Palestinian people for decades. Now stretching beyond 400 days, the Gaza conflict had inflicted devastating human and material losses. Over 44,000 Palestinians had been killed, 70 per cent of whom were women and children, more than 100,000 had been injured, and thousands more were still missing. A relentless blockade, compounded by devastating military assaults by Israel, the occupying power, had left families without food, water, electricity or essential supplies, and without shelter. Homes, schools, hospitals, and 80 per cent of civilian infrastructure lay in ruins. At the same time, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their properties continued to escalate. Creeping annexation of Palestinian lands undermined both the prospects for peace and the viability of a future Palestinian State. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East was also unlawfully under attack—politically, financially and rhetorically. As the occupying power, Israel had no legal authority to terminate the Agency’s mandate. Its attempts to restrict or ban United Nations operations in the occupied Palestinian territory represented a direct challenge to the authority of the United Nations.
The United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People unequivocally condemned and demanded an end to all the atrocities being perpetrated by Israel, the occupying power, in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. It urgently called on the international community to take decisive action to end Israel’s occupation, to ensure accountability for perpetrators, deliver justice for the victims, and uphold the long overdue inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. The failure of the international system to act decisively, and particularly the inability of the Security Council to uphold its Charter duties and to enforce its legally binding resolutions, had severely compounded this conflict and threatened the credibility of the United Nations.
Today’s event needed to serve as a turning point for action. The path forward was clear: prevent annexation and end the illegal occupation of the Palestinian territory in its entirety; halt all violence in Gaza and in the West Bank and East Jerusalem; and uphold international law with accountability. Humanitarian lifelines needed to be protected, and Gaza’s reconstruction under Palestinian leadership needed to be prioritised. Actions needed to restart toward achieving the two-State solution, based on United Nations resolutions and on the pre-1967 borders, with the realisation of the independence of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Sri Lanka, speaking on behalf of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, said that when this event was held last year, the situation in both Gaza and the West Bank was deeply distressing. The situation today was even worse. The escalating violence, immense loss of civilian lives, and destruction persisted unabated. The situation today was dire, with death, destruction, mass displacement and regional destabilisation, with possible global ramifications. The fifty-sixth report of the Special Committee, which investigated Israeli practices affecting the human rights of Palestinians, emphasised that the current circumstances represented a regression to unchecked violence and persecution, undermining international law and causing immense suffering. The findings revealed that Israel's military operations had caused catastrophic damage to essential services and used artificial intelligence in military targeting, resulting in high civilian casualties. The report also addressed issues of sexual violence against Palestinian women and the deliberate targeting of civilians, and discussed the suppression of media and dissent. It called for immediate action to halt support for Israel's actions, emphasising the need for accountability from Member States to uphold international law and protect Palestinian rights.
Forty-seven years after the adoption of General Assembly resolution 32/40B, peaceful coexistence between the States of Israel and Palestine seemed as illusory as ever. The Special Committee reiterated its commitment to a just, lasting, comprehensive and peaceful solution to the question of Palestine, based on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, including the right to an independent State based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The world’s response to this issue, or the lack of it, would determine the moral and ethical foundation of the international system.
League of Arab States, reading out a statement on behalf of AHMED ABOUL GHEIT, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, said the International Day of Solidarity was being commemorated this year at a time of great distress. The Israeli plan had been exposed in all its odiousness; it aimed to end the Palestinian presence on Palestinian territory and liquidate the Palestinian State by making life for the Palestinian community in Gaza and in the West Bank unsustainable. What was happening in Gaza was an ethnic cleansing and a genocide. The hateful system of apartheid extended from the river to the sea. The League of Arab States saluted the people who raised their voice in the face of force and expressed respect for the countries that recognised Palestine. There could be no peace or stability in the region without the establishment of an independent Palestinian State based on the 1967 borders.
The League of Arab States called on all countries to contribute to the materialisation of the two-State solution. It also welcomed the important decisions taken by some States to stop exporting arms to Israel and to impose sanctions on settlements and settlers, and applauded the courageous action of the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against the leaders of the occupation. This was an important step towards achieving accountability and justice, which were the pillars of peace.
After more than 400 days of blind slaughter, the world had reached a moment of truth. The Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, issued on 19 July 2024, affirmed that Israel's occupation of Palestine since 1967 was illegal and needed to end as soon as possible. The continuation of the Israeli occupation would weaken confidence in the entire international system. Israel’s constant violations of international law and international humanitarian law, and its disregard for the United Nations, would have an impact on the international system. The Arab Islamic Summit in November 2024 called for international support to freeze Israel's participation in the United Nations General Assembly.
Organization of Islamic Cooperation said that today, there were dangerous conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, especially the Gaza Strip, as a result of the crimes of military aggression, genocide, starvation, siege, forced displacement, indiscriminate destruction, ethnic cleansing, colonial settlement, and organised terrorism committed by the Israeli occupation, as an extension of decades of injustice and oppression that constituted a setback to the values of freedom and justice and a flagrant violation of the principles of international law and United Nations resolutions. The continuation and expansion of this open Israeli aggression against Palestine and Lebanon threatened security and stability in the entire region. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation renewed its call to the international community, especially the United Nations Security Council, to assume its responsibilities towards stopping this aggression wholly and immediately, and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and basic needs to the Gaza Strip and provide international protection for the Palestinian people.
Organised terrorism and severe attacks were also being committed by extremist settlers under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank, including the city of Al-Quds [Jerusalem]. The illegal Israeli colonial occupation had no sovereignty over the city of Al-Quds and its holy sites, an integral part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967 and the capital of the State of Palestine. Attempts by the Israeli occupation authorities and extremist settler groups to undermine the historical and legal reality of Islamic sanctities, especially the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, constituted an attack on the established religious rights of Muslims around the world and represents a violation of freedom of worship and the sanctity of holy places.
Uganda, speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, said that for many years, the Non-Aligned Movement had maintained a position of solidarity with the Palestinian people. It condemned in the strongest terms the grave violations committed by the Israeli occupation, including the killing of women and children. It demanded an immediate ceasefire and the cessation of all illegal occupation practices. All States and organizations needed to respect the International Court of Justice’s 2024 advisory opinion on the illegality of Israel’s occupation of State of Palestine and take steps to implement it. All States also needed to comply with their obligations under international law and promote the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, recognise the occupation as illegal, and undertake efforts to bring an end to systemic discrimination against the Palestinian people. The Non-Aligned Movement extended its full support to the State of Palestine in its efforts to bring an end to the occupation and realise all rights of the Palestinian people.
African Union said that one year ago, the African Union expressed deepest concern and disappointment about Israel’s continued defiance of international law and the entire international community. This year, the situation had reached an unprecedent scale of suffering for the Palestinian people, moving from public punishment to extermination, which triggered an arrest warrant against the current Prime Minister of Israel and his former Minister of Defence from the International Criminal Court. The African Union called on all countries to abide by this warrant and bring to justice perpetrators of gross violations of human rights amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The African Union also welcomed the cease fire concluded on last Wednesday concerning the Israeli war in Lebanon, which had already made possible the return of thousands of returnees and the deployment of the Lebanese army in South Lebanon. It called upon all parties to abide by this agreement and to implement an immediate cease fire in Gaza, where Israeli attacks had reached an unbearable level and the tragedy was still going on a daily basis.
The Palestinian question remained at the core of tensions in the Middle East. The only way to achieve peace was not the extermination of an entire population but the two-State solution where Israel would be able to exist side-by-side in peace with a viable and fully independent Palestinian State. The African Union called on the international community to work tirelessly for the attainment of peace and to provide strong humanitarian, economic and political support to the just cause of the Palestinian people. It called for an immediate and lasting cessation of hostilities to end the suffering of the Palestinian people, and enable the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and other nationals held hostage. A permanent ceasefire would also prompt the post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza. The African Union expressed its unwavering support of a two-State solution and the conclusion of the Arab-Israeli conflict, consistent with international law and relevant African Union and United Nations resolutions.
World Young Women’s Christian Association and the Young Women’s Christian Association of Palestine, representing non-governmental organizations accredited to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, said that the International Day of Solidarity came for the second year during one of the darkest and hardest chapters in the history of the Palestinian people. Since 7 October 2023, the genocide recognised by the International Court of Justice had led to devastating loss of life and displacement. The International Court of Justice had ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent any acts contrary to the 1948 Genocide Convention and concluded that Israel’s continued occupation of the occupied Palestinian territory was unlawful and needed to end as soon as possible, including the cessation of any new settlement activities.
Tens of thousands had been killed or wounded, and most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents had been forcibly displaced, with nowhere safe to go. Homes had been intentionally destroyed, and vital infrastructure had been reduced to rubble. Diseases and famine, driven by the severe deprivation of food, water and medication, were creating a humanitarian catastrophe that called for immediate and decisive global action. The recent Israeli law banning the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in occupied areas further exacerbated the plight of Palestinian refugees, cutting off essential services to those in desperate need.
State of Palestine, reading out a statement on behalf of MAHMOUD ABBAS, President of the State of Palestine, said the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People was being commemorated at a time when the Palestinian people had endured 420 days of an ongoing genocidal war which had led to more than 150,000 casualties, the majority of them children, women and the elderly, killed and maimed by the Israeli occupying forces, who were deliberately and systematically targeting civilians to displace them and seize their land and resources. An urgent international intervention was needed to stop this tragedy that was taking place before the eyes and ears of the world. This illegal occupation needed to be removed from the territory of the State of Palestine, including its capital, East Jerusalem, to ensure the realisation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, particularly the right to self-determination.
By treating the occupying power as a State above international law and even providing it with financial and military support, the international community had emboldened it to defy international law and to persist in its aggression at every level. Consequently, it had rejected the existence of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, going so far as to consider it a terrorist organization. The occupying power had also rejected the decisions of the international courts, and had even formally announced its readiness to implement racial annexation and settlement expansion schemes, in addition to the ongoing invasions of cities in the West Bank, killing and arresting innocent people, and taking other unilateral steps aimed at consolidating the occupation and ensuring its continuation. All of this had caused significant harm to the international law-based multilateral system, and to its credibility, which had been shaken by the inability to stop the aggression.
Practical steps needed to be taken to deter the occupation, including by suspending Israel’s membership in the United Nations, due to its refusal to abide by international law and its obligations, and due to its insistence on completing its crimes against the Palestinian people. Such steps were required to restore confidence in the ability of the international system to hold accountable those who violated international agreements and international law and compel them to fulfil their obligations.
The only way to halt the dangerous escalation in the region was to immediately begin implementing Security Council resolution 2735 (2024) to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to the entire Gaza Strip, Israel’s full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the assumption of the State of Palestine’s sovereign responsibilities, and the return of the displaced persons to their homes. It was imperative to reject Israel’s plans to separate Gaza from the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and to stop the settlements, killings, settler terrorism, attacks on the holy sites and cities, arbitrary arrests, and attacks on prisoners, withholding of the bodies of martyrs, and plundering the Palestinian people’s money and resources. This illegal occupation in its entirety needed to end.
The Palestinian people believed that no matter how brutal and horrific the occupation was, it would come to an end. The State of Palestine would continue to work to attain the rights of its people to self-determination and freedom on their land. It was confident that the peoples of the world would continue to stand by Palestine and its people and work towards stopping the aggression. A firm international consensus was needed to achieve peace and stability in accordance with international law, to actualise the independence of the State of Palestine and achieve its full membership of the United Nations.
Mr. Abbas saluted the brave martyrs, prisoners and wounded people of the State of Palestine, and said that the State’s unified goal was to end the illegal occupation and achieve freedom and independence. He reiterated that the occupation would end and Palestinian rights would prevail, no matter how long it took.
Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media;
not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.
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