Secretary-Common,
Ministers,
Ambassadors,
Women and gents,
I’ve taken the initiative of holding this Safety Council debate at Ministerial stage, beneath our Presidency.
I wish to thank the Secretary-Common for his highly effective tackle and, in a nationwide capability, additionally contact upon the tragic scenario in Gaza and the very actual danger of regional extension.
Within the face of what’s taking part in out between the Israelis and the Palestinians, this Council can take two potential paths.
On the one hand, there are those that select division, controversy and escalation. Those that select to blow on the embers. Those that select to invade their neighbours, trample their sovereignty, in Ukraine or the Center East, and who right here search division reasonably than unity.
Personally, I’ll make one other alternative, and I’ve two issues to say: we are able to and should stand with each the Israelis and the Palestinians. We are able to and should say tough issues to each of them.
France acts to serve the pursuits of peoples, within the title of peace. It’s a pal of Israel, and a pal of the Palestinian folks.
So I have to inform Israel, which is aware of the friendship of the French folks, {that a} Palestinian State is required, that violence in opposition to the Palestinian folks, together with by extremist settlers, should cease, and that worldwide regulation applies to everybody.
And I have to inform the Palestinian representatives, who know France’s historic dedication to bringing a few Palestinian State, that we are going to proceed to battle terrorism, firmly and doggedly, and that there can’t be ambiguity on Israel’s proper to reside in peace and safety and its proper to train self-defence within the face of terrorism.
It’s as a pal that France tells each events that the trail ahead shall be tough for everybody.
Three ideas will information France’s motion inside this Council within the coming days and weeks, and I need to set them out now.
Firstly, the precept of humanity.
All hostages should be launched, instantly and unconditionally. That’s an absolute want. We now have not wavered in demanding it. This Council has additionally demanded it most clearly.
Within the title of this precept of humanity, we should condemn, unequivocally and with out additional delay, the terrorist assaults of seven October: huge, barbaric, abominable assaults dedicated by terrorists. Our Council should additionally open its eyes relating to the sexual violence that these terrorists have used as a weapon of struggle.
Within the title of this precept of humanity, once more, we should act to assist the civilian inhabitants in Gaza and work in direction of a ceasefire.
The struggling they face is horrible. France is of these, inside this Council, who’re taking motion. The President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, took the initiative of holding an Worldwide Humanitarian Convention, the place a billion euros in humanitarian help was introduced for Gaza’s civilians. As soon as once more, I enchantment to all worldwide companions to stay mobilized.
France is right this moment one of many foremost supporters of civilians in Gaza, partly as a result of we’ve got massively elevated the French contribution to the United Nations Reduction and Works Company for Palestine Refugees within the Close to East. Greater than half of the €100 million in humanitarian help that France introduced for Gaza in November will, Secretary-Common, be delivered by way of the Company. In 2024, we are going to assist the Palestinians additional, by way of a further €100 million.
We additionally perform tangible motion within the area, with 1,000 tons of freight delivered by way of Egypt, 1,000 medical interventions, in full cooperation with Egypt, on the Dixmude, and humanitarian freight parachuted into Gaza with Jordan’s help, for instance.
This Council has set down necessities in its two humanitarian resolutions. They should be revered.
We should hear the struggling of the ladies, males and youngsters of Gaza. We should hear the sentiment of powerlessness amongst humanitarian actors. Civilians, civilian infrastructure, hospitals and faculties should be protected.
Humanitarian staff within the discipline, from the UN, the ICRC and different organizations, should even be protected. I need to commend their braveness, their dedication and their devotion. I need to inform them that France will proceed to assist them, tirelessly and unwaveringly. I need to inform them that they have to have the ability to cross all the mandatory crossing factors and ship very important cargo, together with to the north of the Gaza Strip, past the Wadi Gaza. We should work instantly to attain an enduring ceasefire, the one means to finish this struggling.
Women and gents,
France’s second tenet is justice.
This struggle and this horrific struggling means we’ve got an obligation, and this Council has an obligation. It’s our responsibility to do our utmost to discover a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian battle.
To take action, the peace course of should be revived. And this revival should be decisive and credible. We all know the parameters for the answer: two States residing aspect by aspect in peace and safety, inside safe borders, acknowledged on the idea of the 1967 strains, with each having Jerusalem as capital. That’s the framework which has been set by worldwide regulation. That has additionally persistently been France’s place. And that’s the reason neither Israel nor some other nation can resolve how the Palestinians shall be ruled sooner or later, nor on the scope of their sovereignty.
With this two-state resolution in thoughts, we should now additionally begin serious about the way forward for Gaza. As I mentioned, it isn’t for Israel to resolve on the destiny of the Palestinian populations in Gaza. Gaza is Palestinian territory. And it’s as much as the Palestinian Authority, which we assist, to train its full authority over Gaza.
For this to turn into a actuality, the United Nations has and can have an necessary function to play. On this regard, Secretary-Common, I might additionally prefer to congratulate Sigrid Kaag on her appointment as Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza.
The complete worldwide group should take motion to rebuild Gaza.
We should take pressing motion with regard to the scenario within the West Financial institution. The violence inflicted by violent settlers upon the Palestinian civilian inhabitants is unacceptable. As soon as once more, we condemn it within the strongest phrases. It should finish instantly.
With its companions, France will, in the end, take initiatives in order that the Council can study all these political points.
Lastly, the third precept of our motion would be the precept of accountability in face of the dangers of escalation.
We should do every little thing potential to keep away from regional conflagration and stop the unfold of the battle. Some are tempted to make use of their vassal teams so as to add to the chaos and undermine regional stability. We’re issuing them with a warning.
We’re massively involved in regards to the growing tensions across the Blue Line. We name on the events to train the utmost restraint and to attempt to completely finish this escalation. UNIFIL should be allowed to train its mandate beneath correct circumstances.
We’re additionally involved in regards to the assaults perpetrated by the Houthis within the Pink Sea. These are extraordinarily severe assaults on the regulation and on world commerce. France will proceed to shoulder its tasks. We equally condemn the violations of Iraqi sovereignty.
Women and gents,
France will proceed to work and put ahead initiatives in order that our Council can categorical its views on each side of the disaster, in order that it may finally condemn the barbaric assaults of seven October, in order that worldwide humanitarian regulation is adhered to and meets the wants of the civilian populations in Gaza. And eventually, you may rely on our dedication to creating decisive progress on the two-state resolution.
Thanks.
