NEW YORK: The Prime Minister of Slovenia Robert Golob Friday called for the cessation of Palestinian bloodshed and ending the Israeli occupation.
Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Slovenian Prime Minister Golob stated: ‘So let me send a clear message to the Prime Minister of Israel – stop the bloodshed, stop the war, stop the suffering, end the occupation of Palestine!’
He pointed out that almost four months since the United Nations Security Council’s resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, ‘deal is nowhere close’, adding: ‘As the Secretary General said yesterday at the UNRWA Ministerial meeting, “people in Gaza are existing – not living, but existing – among lakes of sewage, piles of rubbish and mountains of rubble. The only certainty they have is that tomorrow will be worse.”
Commenting on the volatile situation in the West Bank, he said: ‘In the West Bank and East Jerusalem violence and dehumanization of Palestinians is increasing and has reached a boiling point.’
‘All this is taking us further away from the two-state solution with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security,’ he added.
‘Escalation of Gaza crisis into the region is now a reality. The region is at a brink of an abyss. De-escalation is urgently needed, starting with the ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon,’ he added.
He also pointed out that the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip has constituted ‘a turning point’ for UN staff and humanitarian workers as the ‘Erosion of respect of international humanitarian law is making their work so much more difficult.’
‘In Gaza, humanitarians are not just occasional collateral victims. They seem to have become a deliberate military target. There is no other explanation for the highest number of humanitarian workers being killed last year, of whom great majority in Gaza,’ he elaborated.
‘The sense of impunity for crimes in Gaza is putting humanitarian organisations under stress elsewhere. This is undermining the essence of the UN and it is affecting the work of the humanitarian organisations and UN agencies like ICRC, UNRWA, WHO and WFP,’ he went on to say.
Highlighting the suffering of Gaza children, he said: ‘Gaza is an example of extreme suffering of the children,’ while noting that Slovenia was offering concrete help with the Foundation “Let them dream”, which is dealing with the rehabilitation of children from Gaza.
‘It is an extremely noble and human project, which was launched years ago and has already helped hundreds of children from Gaza who came on rehabilitation in Slovenia and will continue to do so. Sadly, some of these kids, were the victims of recent aggression on Gaza,’ he said.
Recounting the story of two girls from the Strip, he said: ‘Let me finish with the story of the two young girls from Palestine. At the beginning of this week I attended an event on Missing futures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory organized by Save the children. At this event I heard from courageous Palestinian girls, Sara and Rand. They spoke about their challenges, feelings and the future.’
‘In spite of destruction, dehumanisation and fear, they were not angry nor hateful. They just had enormous wish for normal life. They want to study and dedicate their future to help their community. One by becoming a doctor. The other by becoming a humanitarian worker. Their plea was simple: help us achieve that,’ he added.
‘Today, I fulfill my promise to them and bring their story to the General Assembly. Only with our united call against the war and for peace we will make sure Sara and Rand are not among the thousands missing futures of Palestinian children under occupation,’ he concluded.
Source: Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA