As the 28th session of the Conference of State Parties to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (#OPCW) concludes, the situation in the occupied State of Palestine takes center stage.

Ambassador Ammar Hijazi, Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs, delivered the national statement on behalf of the State of Palestine during the conference.

Numerous member states joined in expressing alarm over the situation in Palestine in their national statements. A notable display of solidarity emerged as many states showed their support for Palestine by declaring that they #StandWithPalestine, placing the issue in the international spotlight.

On the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, Ambassador Ziad Alatiyah of Saudi Arabia delivered a joint statement on behalf of a group of states. The statement raised concerns about the use of internationally prohibited weapons, including chemical weapons, by Israeli occupation forces.

Mr. Calixto Ortega Rios, the Permanen
t Representative of Venezuela at the OPCW, took a significant step by delivering the Non-aligned Movement plus China statement during the conference. The statement addressed the urgent situation in Palestine due to Israel’s genocidal aggression, calling on the international Secretariat to monitor the ground situation closely.

Ambassador Rawan Sulaiman, Palestine’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, hosted a side event in which Colonel Desmond Travers discussed the use and misuse of lethal weaponry, including chemical weapons, by Israeli occupation forces.

Ambassador Dr. Omar Awadallah, Assistant Foreign Minister for UN organizations, emphasized the State of Palestine’s request to the OPCW for an investigation and monitoring of the situation on the ground.

The event featured a series of caricatures by Palestinian artist Mohammed Sabaaneh, illustrating the hardships faced by Palestinians in Gaza due to Israel’s aggression, relentless bombardment, and the use of lethal weaponry, including prohibited weapons by th
e Chemical Weapons Convention.

In conclusion, the State of Palestine reiterated its call for all states committed to the Chemical Weapons Convention to work towards achieving full universality of the CWC, as outlined in agenda item 19.

Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA