NAM calls for Palestinians right to sovereignty, independence: Iran UN envoy

The Non-Aligned Movement calls for the restoration of the rights of the Palestinians to sovereignty and independence, Iran’s permanent ambassador to the UN says.

We call for the restoration of the right of the Palestinians to sovereignty and true independence, Mohammad Khazaei, speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), said at the UN’s Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on Thursday.

The Committee was meeting in its annual observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

NAM urges a just solution to the Palestinian issue and refugees and calls on the international community to take immediate and serious action to condemn Israeli aggressions, he said.

While supporting the efforts of the UN secretary general and the Committee, the Movement expresses regret over the Israeli occupying regime’s violation of the UN resolutions, Khazaei added.

He pointed to different resolutions approved by the UN against Israel and said the regime seeks to demolish the identity of the Palestinian lands, particularly in al-Quds, and alter the demographic composition of the region through carrying out settlement activities and expelling Palestinians.

The Iranian envoy described the Tel Aviv regime’s repeated trampling on the rights of Palestinians and the siege of Gaza as clear examples of Israel’s blatant violation of the Palestinian rights and referred to the recent Israeli attack on Gaza that resulted in the killing of 160 Palestinians in contravention of all international rules and regulations.

Addressing the UN General Assembly meeting on the same day, the Iranian envoy called for the immediate and unconditional removal of the Gaza blockade and the opening of routes to the region based on international regulations.

He expressed NAM’s grave concern about the suffering of the Palestinians caused by illegal policies and measures of the Israeli regime.

He called on the international community to redouble efforts to compel Israel to cease its illegal policies and abide by international law.

Khazaei stressed the importance of giving observer member state to Palestine and expressed hope that all UN resolutions on Palestine will be implemented.

The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday voted to upgrade Palestine’s status at the UN from “non-member observer entity” to “non-member observer state” despite strong opposition from Israel and the US.

138 voted in favor of the measure, nine against and 41 abstained.

The upgrade allows the Palestinians to participate in debates at the UN General Assembly and improve their chances of joining UN agencies and the International Criminal Court (ICC) where they could file complaints against Israel.