YT YouTube2Text

YouTube2Text → Transcripts → BREAKING NEWS: UN Security Council Holds Urgent Debate on Middle East Peace and Conflict | AC14

BREAKING NEWS: UN Security Council Holds Urgent Debate on Middle East Peace and Conflict | AC14 — Transcript

by DWS News · 8,794 words · 1,585 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

Open in transcriber Summarize with AI Download SRT/VTT

Full transcript

0:00an Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico,
0:06Morocco, Namibia, Norway, the
0:09Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
0:15the Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Saudi
0:17Arabia, Sirillion, is Slovenia, South
0:21Africa, Spain, is Switzerland, the
0:24Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand,
0:27Timorist, Tun Tunis, IA, Turkey, Uganda,
0:32United Arab Emirates, the BU Bolivarian
0:36Republic of Venezuela and Vietnam to
0:39participate in this meeting.
0:41It's so decided.
0:47I I propose that the council invite the
0:50permanent observer
0:52of the observer state of Palestine to
0:54the United Nations to participate in
0:56this meeting in accordance with the
0:58provisional rules of procedure and the
1:00previous practice in this regard.
1:04There be no objection is so decided
1:11in accordance with rule 39 of the
1:13council's provisional rules of
1:16procedure. I invite Mr. Ramirez Alakarov
1:20the duputy special coordinator for the
1:23Middle East peace process and United
1:25Nations resident and humanitarian
1:27coordinator to participate in this
1:29meeting.
1:31It's so decided
1:34in accordance with rule 39 of the
1:37council's provisional rules of
1:38procedure. I also invite the following
1:41to participate in this meeting. His
1:43excellence Mr. Jamie Hermida Castillo,
1:49vice chair of the committee on the
1:51exercise of inalienable rights of the
1:54Palestinian people. His excellency Mr.
1:58Stavros Lamardinis, head of the
2:01delegation of European Union to the
2:02United Nations and his excellence Mr.
2:05Majid Abdul Aziz, permanent observer of
2:10the permanent observer mission of the
2:12league of the Arab states to the United
2:14Nations.
2:15is so decided.
2:19The security council will now begin its
2:21consideration of the item two of the
2:24agenda.
2:26I'll now give the floor to Mr. Ram Ramse
2:31Alakarov.
2:37Thank you very much
2:40Mr. President. Excellencies,
2:43I brief you today at the moment of both
2:45profound opportunity and considerable
2:47risk. In front of us, we see a potential
2:50turning point for Gaza, a genuine chance
2:53for a better future. But many
2:56uncertainties remain. In parallel, we
2:59also see a continued unraveling in the
3:02occupied West Bank and a region marked
3:07in tension. The announcement the
3:10announced start of the second phase of
3:12the President Trump's 20point plan
3:15comprehensive plan is a critical step in
3:18uh consolidating the ceasefire in Gaza
3:21alongside with establishment of
3:22subsidiary bodies of the board of peace
3:26including the national committee for the
3:27administration of Gaza and the office of
3:30the high representative for Gaza.
3:32I have just returned from Cairo where I
3:35met with the National Committee for the
3:37Administration of Gaza to discuss how
3:39the United Nations uh can best support
3:42the committee's effort to provide
3:44critical public services, facilitate
3:47humanitarian aid, and lay the groundwork
3:49for reconstruction in Gaza in line with
3:52the UN Security Council resolution 2803.
3:57Uh the uh task at hand is monumental. It
4:01requires full coordination among all
4:03stakeholders, taking in account the
4:05existing systems and capacities. The
4:08United Nations stands ready to support
4:10the committee and the Palestinians in
4:12Gaza as they start the Ardo's work of
4:14rebuilding.
4:16I welcome the recovery of the last
4:18hostage in Gaza and I'm relieved that
4:21they have been returned to Israel for
4:23burial. I extend my condolences to the
4:26family of Rangi.
4:28With all hostages returned, I hope that
4:31the process of healing for the families
4:32of all of those affected may begin.
4:37Implementation of the next phase of the
4:38comprehensive plan must advance in good
4:41faith. I'm encouraged by the Israel's
4:44announcement on 25th January that Rafa
4:46crossing will open to pedestrian
4:48movements in both directions.
4:50Demilitarization of the uh Gaza Strip is
4:54essential to enable uh conditions and
4:57security arrangements that are urgently
4:59required to facilitate the work of the
5:01national committee across the entire
5:02street.
5:04Mr. President, my last visit to Gaza
5:06affirmed one truth. The people in Gaza
5:09ready and eager to lead the way to a
5:11better, more stable future. Less than
5:14two weeks ago, amidst enormous misery
5:16and pain, I witnessed [snorts] inspiring
5:18resilience and hope. youths taking their
5:21exams and excelling in the most
5:23difficult of circumstances. Farmers who
5:26are unable to import seeds, but still
5:28finding ways to plant green houses
5:30repaired with makeshift materials and
5:33small business owners devising ingenious
5:36solutions when faced with scarce
5:38materials and a devastated market. Such
5:41efforts are being replicated across
5:42Gaza. They deserve our support. But
5:46nevertheless,
5:48nearly the entire population in Gaza
5:50remains in need of humanitarian
5:52assistance. Heavy rainfall and cold
5:55temperatures has exacerbated the
5:57suffering of more than 1.5 million
5:59displaced Palestinians in Gaza who had
6:02little or no means to seek safe shelter.
6:05I heard firsthand how families sat vigil
6:08through the night just trying to hold
6:10down to four corners of their tents. I
6:13saw a little girl carrying heavy stones
6:15just to prevent her shoulder from
6:17blowing away in the wind. I don't know
6:20her age, but she looked to me being just
6:22four years old.
6:24The shelter response has suffered from
6:27restrictions for the entry of vital
6:29materials and technical expertise.
6:32As a result, shelter sites in Gaza do
6:35not meet the scale of the needs or
6:36international standards. Transitional
6:39certain sites must provide access to
6:41much needed essential services. Above
6:44all, they must be voluntary and
6:46dignified and in line with humanitarian
6:49principles. The support of all
6:51stakeholders is needed.
6:54Mr. President, across all sector,
6:56humanitarian actors are still unable to
6:58operate at scale in Gaza. Their work is
7:01being hindered by insecurity, custom
7:03clearance challenges, the limited number
7:05of partners authorized by Israeli
7:07authorities to bring cargo into Gaza,
7:10delays and denials of caros at crossing
7:12and limited routes available for
7:14transporting supplies within Gaza. While
7:17the Jordan corridor remains a
7:19humanitarian lifeline, current volumes
7:21entering Gaza through back-to-back
7:23arrangements represent only a fraction
7:25of what was previously achieved when the
7:27direct route was operational.
7:30Since 10 October, only 9% of 2720
7:34process 8 has entered Gaza via Jordan.
7:37Fully utilizing existing proven regional
7:39corridors remains essential to saving
7:42lives in Gaza.
7:44Entry of mobile homes, rescue equipment,
7:46fuel, and medical supplies continues to
7:49be severely restricted, endangering the
7:51lives of tens of thousands of IDPs and
7:53patients. To address this, materials
7:55must enter at scale. Access to public
7:59infrastructure and agricultural land
8:01remains restricted. Meanwhile, regular
8:04detonations of residential buildings are
8:06continued and repeated population
8:08displacements have occured. On 30th
8:12December, Israel announced its plans to
8:14suspend the operations of some
8:16international NOS's. The government also
8:19notified 37 NOS's that their
8:21registration would expire at the end of
8:232025 due to what Israel says is the
8:26failure to comply with the new
8:28regulations triggering a 60-day review
8:31period. Banning these will have a
8:34significant impact on the humanitarian
8:37response across the OPT. I urge Israel
8:41to immediately reverse this decision.
8:44Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli
8:46military continues to conduct military
8:48operations with air strikes, shelling,
8:50and gunfire occurring across the street.
8:53Armed exchanges also persisted with
8:55Palestinian militants. Attacks in the
8:58vicinity or off or beyond of so-called
9:02yellow line are happening daily and
9:04hundreds of Palestinians have been
9:06killed
9:07since the ceasefire began, including
9:10many women and children.
9:13Civilians must be protected at all
9:15times. Amid the obstacles, we also have
9:18seen some welcome actions. The continued
9:21arrival of aid where Egypt, Jordan,
9:23Israel occupied this bank and Cyprus has
9:26been critical. This has helped increase
9:29the volume of supplies throughout
9:31brought into Gaza and led to
9:33improvements in nutrition status of the
9:35population. But more needs to be done.
9:39Mr. President, I would like to devote a
9:42reminder of my briefing to addressing
9:44the spiraling dynamics in the occupied
9:46West Bank. Every month, the United
9:49Nations and many others in this council
9:51emphasize the gravity of the unfolding
9:53situation, but that has yet to translate
9:56into meaningful action on the ground.
9:59Negative trends are entrenched daily.
10:03The reporting period was marked by
10:05continued violence with extensive
10:07Israeli military operations, settlement
10:10expansion, settler violence, demolition,
10:13and large-scale detentions.
10:16In late December and early January,
10:18Israeli forces conducted intensified
10:20raids across Janine, Nablo, Hebron, and
10:23Ramla, frequently involving live fire
10:26and raising serious concerns about the
10:29use of lethal force. A 16-year-old boy
10:32was shot and killed during a raid in
10:35Capatia on 20th December and after
10:39reportedly throwing a brick to an IDF
10:42soldier and multiple Palestinians were
10:44killed or fatally wounded during the
10:46operation south of Nablus. There have
10:49been large-scale arrest campaigns of
10:51Palestinians by Israeli security forces
10:53including children, amest reports of
10:56treatment and torture and continued
10:58deaths in custody.
11:00Palestinian attacks against Israelis
11:02have also persisted. On 26th December, a
11:05Palestinian man killed two Israelis,
11:07including a woman, into ramming and
11:10stabbing attacks in northern Israel.
11:14At the same time, settler violence
11:16intensified. In December, repeated
11:19settler attacks led to the displacement
11:21of the entire community of Herbet Yanoon
11:24in Nablas governorate. And in January we
11:26saw the forcible displacement of some 80
11:29households from Ras Auja in Jericho.
11:34Demolitions and large land seizures
11:36continued across the northern Westbank.
11:39Evictions in East Jerusalem's Silvan
11:42neighborhood on 4th January and
11:44extensive dearolitions in two Karam
11:47Shams refugee camp at the end of
11:49December underscore how violence,
11:51displacement and territorial
11:52fragmentation are converging on the
11:55ground. Meanwhile, settlement expansion
11:58has been rapid and relentless. The
12:01combination of settlement advancement,
12:03state land declarations, and persistent
12:05establishment of outpost is carving up
12:09and making vast lots of land
12:10inaccessible for Palestinian use in the
12:13occupied West Bank. During the reporting
12:16period, approximately 1,860
12:19housing units were advanced in the area
12:22Sea. This includes 120 housing units in
12:26Sonor, a settlement that was evacuated
12:28in 2005.
12:30Additionally, 2,850
12:33housing units were advanced in East
12:34Jerusalem. These includes two large
12:37scale plans, a plan for 1,500 housing
12:40units in residential towers in a
12:42government complex between Shikh Jara
12:44and Mount Scopus
12:46and a plan instal for 950 housing units
12:50and several residential powers.
12:53The Israeli government has also
12:55published tenders for over 47
12:594,770
13:02um in area C including 3,41
13:05housing units in E1 which if built would
13:09effectively severe the correction
13:11between the northern and southern best
13:13bank.
13:15In recent weeks, the pressure campaign
13:18against Urwa has also sharply escalated
13:21in an effort to end its operation in the
13:23occupied Palestinian territory. On 29th
13:25December, the Israeli pass legislation
13:29instructing Israeli authorities to seize
13:31UNRA's compound and Sher Jara and Kafk
13:34and requiring utilities and financial
13:36service providers to deny service to
13:38UNRA or any of its facilities. of 12th
13:42January, Israeli forces raided an health
13:44center and occupied East Jerusalem and
13:46ordered it to close. A week later,
13:49Israeli forces forcibly entered the
13:51honor headquarters in occupied East
13:53Jerusalem with bulldozers demolishing
13:54the buildings
13:56uh and officials have made abhorent
13:59calls for the unhiliation of UNA staff.
14:02These acts are fragant violation of
14:04international law and the privileges and
14:06immunities of the United Nations. I call
14:09on the Israeli government to abide by
14:11the October 2025 advisory opinion by
14:13international court of justice which
14:15states that Israel's obligation under
14:16international law to facilitate
14:19operations not hinder or prevent them
14:22despite significant increases in
14:24international support in 2025. The
14:26unilateral withholding by Israel of all
14:29Palestinian clearance revenues
14:31continues. The Palestinian afore
14:33continues to face the growing fiscal
14:35crisis resulting in partial payment of
14:38civil servant salaries and a reduction
14:40in services. Nearly 2.5 billion US
14:43dollars of clearance revenues remains
14:45withheld by Israel.
14:47Mr. President,
14:49Israeli government policies have
14:51facilitated a number of destructive
14:52trends. rapid settlement expansion and
14:54its related infrastructure, the creation
14:56and legalization of outposts, widespread
14:59demolitions and displacements, state
15:00land declarations, deepening movement
15:03and access restrictions and expansion of
15:05municipal boundaries. Persistent and
15:08extreme settlers violence frequently
15:09accompanied or supported by Israeli
15:12security forces continues to influence
15:14tensions, possibly displace Palestinians
15:16and exerbate instability. The
15:18consequences have been severe, deepening
15:21the occupation, fragmenting Palestinian
15:23space and strengthened territorial uh
15:26contiguity for settlement.
15:29And uh ultimately these steps are fa
15:31undermining the prospects for peace and
15:33the establishment of a two-state
15:34solution. Unless urgently addressed,
15:37they may also jeopardize progress on
15:39implementing the second phase of the
15:41ceasefire agreement. Mr. President, the
15:44implementation of the second phase of
15:46the Gaza ceasefire plan is critical and
15:49will require our firm and collective
15:51commitment. There is a genuine
15:53opportunity to lay the foundations for a
15:56stable and secure for a more stable and
15:58secure future for Palestinians and
16:00Israelis and advance the goal of
16:03legitimate Palestinian government that
16:05reunifies Gaza and the West Bank
16:07including East Jerusalem and chart the
16:09course toward ending the occupation and
16:11advancing a political process that will
16:13ultimately end the conflict. The UN will
16:16continue to support Palestinians and
16:18Israelis to end the conflict and to
16:20realize a two-state solution in line
16:23with previous United Nations resolutions
16:25and international law. Mr. President, I
16:27thank you and this council for your
16:29attention.
16:32>> I thank Mr. Alakarov for his briefings.
16:36I now give the floor to the permanent
16:38observer of the observer state of
16:40Palestine.
16:43>> Mr. President, at the outset, allow me
16:47to thank you for presiding over this
16:50open debate at such a pivotal moment for
16:54peace, justice, and human dignity.
16:58Allow me also to welcome the ministers
17:01who are with us, to thank Mr. Ramse al
17:05Akbarov for his briefing and to welcome
17:08again our friends the five elected new
17:13members of the security council Bahrain
17:16Colombia Democratic Republic of Congo,
17:20Latvia and Liberia.
17:2580 years after the end of the Second
17:29World War, the core principles upon
17:32which the United Nations were founded
17:34remain as critical as ever.
17:38The right of peoples to
17:39self-determination.
17:42The prohib the prohibition on the
17:44acquisition of territory by threat or
17:47use of force and the rule of
17:49international law as the guaranteer of
17:53the rights of individuals
17:55regardless of race, religion or
17:58nationality
17:59and of nations large and small. Those
18:03principles are the expression of the
18:06wisdom finally acquired by humanity
18:09following a devastating war where
18:12peoples around the globe endured and
18:15witnessed aggression, genocide, crimes
18:18against humanity and war crimes on a
18:21scale that altered the course of history
18:25and led to the founding of these United
18:28Nations to save succeeding generations
18:31from the scourge of war and to ensure
18:34international peace and security.
18:39It is these very principles that are at
18:44stake and under threat in Palestine.
18:48Asserting them there is upholding them
18:51everywhere.
18:53Abandoning them there is jeopardizing
18:56them everywhere.
18:58Mr. President, we welcome the ceasefire
19:01agreement reached last year under
19:04President Trump's plan and we commend
19:08the personal engagement of President
19:10Trump and the US administration as well
19:13as the tireless efforts of the mediators
19:16who have worked to implement it.
19:19We supported the ceasefire in good faith
19:23even in the face of repeated breaches
19:27with at least 500 Palestinians killed
19:30since the ceasefire came into effect
19:34with many more wounded and ongoing
19:37destruction by the occupying power and
19:40while lifesaving assistance including
19:43shelter continues to be obstructed in
19:47the depths of this harsh winter.
19:51We support the plan because it offered
19:55an immediate path toward ending the
19:58killing and suffering, the famine, and
20:02unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe
20:05inflicted on the Palestinian people in
20:08Gaza.
20:09While we recognize that thousands of
20:12lives have been saved by the ceasefire,
20:16these goals are yet to be fully
20:19achieved. We welcome the completion of
20:23the release of all Israeli hostages and
20:26prisoners alive and deceased, including
20:30the recovery of the remains of the last
20:32Israeli body two days ago.
20:36We had repeatedly said that only a
20:39ceasefire could allow for this to
20:41happen. Yet, we must ask, what about the
20:46countless Palestinian families whose
20:49loved ones have been killed with
20:51thousands of bodies still crushed and
20:55buried under rubble yet to be found, yet
20:58to be identified, and to be given
21:01dignified burial.
21:04What of the families who waited for the
21:09return of thousands denied to tortured,
21:13humiliated, starved, rapid or missing?
21:17Raped or missing?
21:20What of the entire families obliterated
21:23from existence or the survivors of
21:26genocide left with grave injuries and
21:29amputations? who will carry the
21:32devastation with them for all their
21:35lives. What of the trauma and loss of an
21:39entire people?
21:41The suffering of the Palestinian people,
21:44civilian men, women, and children must
21:47be ended with equal urgency. Healing,
21:52recovery, and justice are indispensable
21:56and a right for for all.
21:59full implementation of phase one
22:01obligations,
22:03including an immediate end to the
22:05killing and unrestricted humanitarian
22:09access across the Gaza Strip, is
22:11essential.
22:13These are not new demands.
22:16They are the repeated calls of this
22:19council and constitute obligations under
22:23international law.
22:26Moreover, Isra must end its ongoing war
22:30against humanitarian actors, including
22:33UNROA and vital NOS's
22:37whose safety and ability to operate,
22:40have been repeatedly undermined.
22:43the destruction of honoral facilities,
22:45including the seizure and destruction of
22:48its headquarters in occupied East
22:51Jerusalem, which was also set ablaze,
22:55and the targeting of humanitarian
22:58personnel. And now the attempt to ban
23:01and expel recognized and respected NOS
23:06operating on Palestinian territory
23:08demonstrate total contempt for the very
23:12mechanisms established to protect and
23:15assist civilians.
23:17It is an attack on the United Nations by
23:20one of its members in ways we had never
23:24witnessed before.
23:26The advisory opinion of the
23:27International Court of Justice on
23:29Israel's humanitarian obligations must
23:32be fully respected.
23:34But instead of compliance, we have
23:37witnessed continued obstruction to aid
23:41delivery, continued violations of the
23:43charter and convention on the privileges
23:46and immunities of the United Nations,
23:49and continued grave breaches of
23:51international humanitarian law by the
23:54occupying power.
23:56In this regard, we call the letters of
24:00the secretary general to the security
24:02council to you and general assembly,
24:05including that in light of the gravity
24:08of the Israeli government's actions, and
24:11I quote, "A situation may exist in which
24:16a difference has arisen between the
24:18United Nations and the state of Israel
24:21regarding, among other things, the
24:24interpretation
24:25or application of the general
24:27convention. End of quotations of the
24:30letter of the SG. Furthermore, we are
24:34obliged to underscore yet again, Israel
24:38is not the sovereign in the Palestinian
24:41territory.
24:42This illegal occupation has no rights
24:45whatsoever in occupied Palestine,
24:49including in Jerusalem. Mr. President,
24:53the ceasefire's permanence and success
24:57requires that Israel sees trying to
25:00dictate the future of Gaza and to fully
25:03withdraw from the territory.
25:06Gaza is an integral part of the
25:09Palestinian territory. I repeat, Gaza is
25:13an integral part of the Palestinian
25:16territory. [laughter]
25:17It belongs to the Palestinian people.
25:20Nobody else
25:23and any transitional arrangements must
25:26fully respect our people's rights and
25:29our sovereignity over the occupied
25:32Palestinian territory. The Gaza Strip
25:35must be reunited with the West Bank,
25:39including East Jerusalem, without delay.
25:42and our people's right to
25:44self-determination and independent
25:46statehood enshrined in the principles
25:49and purposes of the UN charter which I
25:52began with and in numerous resolutions
25:55of the security council general assembly
25:59ICJ rulings and in per and in per pere
26:04permpary norms of international law
26:07cannot be disposed of.
26:10Israel has to abandon its plans to
26:14forcibly displace and replace our people
26:17across occupied Palestine.
26:20In the West Bank, Israeli military
26:23attacks and settler terrorism continue
26:26unabated,
26:27systematically driving Palestinians from
26:30their homes. Settlements continue to be
26:33advanced. All tools of rampant
26:37annexation.
26:39In this regard, we warn of the dangerous
26:43Israeli escalation against Palestinian
26:46cities, villages, and refugee camps in
26:48the West Bank, including [clears throat]
26:50the implementation of the so-called E1
26:53settlement project. This must be
26:56stopped. The last families in Rasen Aloa
27:02have been forced from their land,
27:05leaving no Palestinian presence in what
27:07was once a thriving community. This was
27:11the largest shephering community in the
27:14southern Jordan Valley and the last to
27:17survive Israel's ethnic cleansing in the
27:20area.
27:22United Nations reporting has now
27:24documented a record level of West Bank
27:28displacement in the last two years.
27:30Around 40,000 Palestinians violently and
27:35forceful forceful forcefully transferred
27:39from their homes, the highest figure
27:41ever since 1967.
27:45Despite
27:47the longstanding demands by the
27:50international community, including the
27:52security council for decades, for a hold
27:55to such illegal colonial practices,
27:58Israel persists with its impunity,
28:01entrenching its illegal occupation of
28:04our land and people every single day.
28:08This must be stopped. Mr. President,
28:11these events are not isolated.
28:14They are part of a sustained pattern
28:17that threatens not only the Palestinian
28:20people but the foundational principles
28:23of this organization.
28:25This cannot be this cannot be ignored.
28:28Yet we still see a chance for peace. I
28:33repeat, yet we still see a chance for
28:36peace. a real historical opportunity to
28:39end the occupation, to realize
28:42Palestinian rights, to achieve just and
28:45lasting peace in accordance with
28:48international law and UN resolutions.
28:51The Palestinian Authority is working in
28:55impossible circumstances to uphold its
28:58responsibilities.
28:59It is working to retrieve the bodies of
29:03Palestinians, to restore education, to
29:07revive the health sector, to provide
29:10shelter and assistance, to reopen the
29:12Rafa crossing in both directions, to
29:16prepare for recovery and reconstruction.
29:21It has persisted
29:23in its decision to embark on a peaceful
29:26path to freedom and has not deviated
29:30from it. It has conducted difficult
29:34reforms while being undermined
29:37politically and financially. It has
29:40adopted the principle of one state, one
29:43government, one law and one weapon.
29:46Palestine is a reliable partner for
29:49peace if peace is the objective.
29:54Palestine is a reliable partner for
29:56peace if peace is the objective.
30:00The whole world can testify to that. But
30:03the Israeli government's objective is
30:06not peace. It is domination.
30:09Netanyahu yet again bragged that he will
30:13never allow a Palestinian state to
30:15emerge. He went further, reaffirming
30:18Israel will retain control from the
30:22river to the sea, promising eternal
30:25occupation, a delusional idea that will
30:29continue depriving our region of the
30:32prospects and promise of peace.
30:36Mr. President, the Palestinian people
30:38have an inalienable right to
30:40self-determination,
30:42including the right to the independence
30:44of their state. Any implementation of
30:48peace plans must be uphold this right
30:52fully and unequivocally
30:54and must preserve the unity and
30:57territorial integrity of the West Bank,
31:00including East Jerusalem and the Gaza
31:02Strip. There must be no administrative
31:06or legal or I should rather say illegal
31:11measures that entrench division and
31:14occupation instead of bringing an end to
31:18them.
31:19Mr. President, the best way to
31:22consolidate the ceasefire is to move
31:24towards a just peace.
31:28This requires the mobilization of the
31:31international community as a whole.
31:34in charting a clear path away from
31:37occupation and war towards shared peace,
31:41security and prosperity as foreseen by
31:44the New York declaration and supported
31:47overwhelmingly by the member states of
31:50these United Nations. We must all work
31:54together to advance these noble
31:56objectives. We welcomed the launch of
32:00phase two of the ceasefire agreement and
32:03the establishment of transitional bodies
32:06to help administer Gaza in the
32:09transitional period ahead of reunifying
32:12the West Bank and Gaza Strip under the
32:15Palestinian Authority as stated by this
32:18council. Palestine must be central to
32:22and fully represented in any processes
32:26that determines its future.
32:28We reiterate our readiness to work with
32:31the United States and regional and
32:34international partners to ensure respect
32:38for the ceasefire agreement in line with
32:41international law. Our people are
32:44waiting for the recovery and rebuilding
32:47promised to them after so much pain and
32:51loss inflicted on them. We cannot let
32:54them down.
32:57Palestine needs a just peace more than
33:01any other country because it suffers
33:05most in its absence.
33:08It is seeking a peaceful path to
33:10freedom.
33:12We are seeking a peaceful path to
33:14freedom. It should be encouraged
33:18and supported, not undermined.
33:21We want our rights, the rights accorded
33:25to all nations, nothing more, but also
33:29nothing less and nothing else.
33:34I repeat,
33:36we want our rights, the rights accorded
33:40to all nations,
33:42nothing more, but also nothing less and
33:46nothing else. Free Palestine,
33:49peace in the Middle East, and I thank
33:51you very much, Mr. President.
33:56>> I thank the permanent observer of the
33:58observer state of Palestine for his
34:00statement.
34:02I'll now give the floor to the
34:04representative of Israel.
34:07>> Thank you, Mr. President. First, I would
34:10like to thank the briefer and welcome
34:13the ministers who joined us today and
34:16the new members of the security council.
34:19Mr. President, from the first day of the
34:22war in Gaza, Israel has been clear
34:25before this council about its goals. We
34:29had two goals. Every hostage home, Hamas
34:33disarmed.
34:35With the return of Rangilli, I can
34:37finally say that the first goal has been
34:40achieved. Every hostage been brought
34:44home. What many believed was impossible
34:47is now a fact. We said we would bring
34:50them home, all of them, no matter how
34:53long it took.
34:55Now, for the first time since 2014,
34:59there is not a single Israeli hostage
35:02held in Gaza. This achievement was
35:04secured by the brave soldiers of the
35:07Israeli Defense Forces, young men and
35:10women who stepped forward with
35:12incredible determination, resolve, and
35:14courage. They defended our people. They
35:18brought our hostages home. They did so
35:21under fire, under pressure, and under
35:24relentless scrutiny, including from
35:26within this very chamber. Israel owes
35:30them a profound debt. The world owes
35:34them one as well. This effort was also
35:38driven and sustained by the leadership
35:40of the United States. The peace
35:43framework advanced by President Donald
35:45Trump and his administration created a
35:48path forward.
35:51Today, for the first time in 843
35:55days, I sit in this chamber without
35:59without the yellow hostage pin on my
36:02lapel. Everyone in Israel wore it until
36:06yesterday.
36:08This is a moment of deep national
36:11significance for Israel. This moment
36:13also carries a message far beyond
36:16Israel. Western liberal democracies do
36:19not cave to terrorists. They do not
36:22reward mass murder. They do not trade
36:24their values for silence.
36:28The message is clear for every terrorist
36:30organization watching us. Kidnapping
36:32civilians does not bring legitimacy.
36:35Violence does not deliver political
36:37gains. Terror does not win. Israel now
36:42advances
36:44its second goal with the same
36:46determination and clarity. Hamas must be
36:49disarmed.
36:51The next steps are grounded in phase two
36:53of the peace plan supported by Israel,
36:56key international players and partners
37:00and this security council. Phase two is
37:04written. It is structured.
37:08It provides for the establishment of a
37:10responsible governing framework for
37:12Gaza.
37:14There are positive signs. However, one
37:18obstacle remains. Hamas disarmament.
37:22The choice now rests with Hamas.
37:25Acceptance of full disarmament enables
37:27progress. Refusal places full
37:31responsibility on Hamas for the
37:33consequences.
37:34Clarity is essential about what
37:36disarmament actually means.
37:40Disarmament does not mean staged
37:42handovers for cameras. It does not mean
37:45weapons hidden underground while
37:48promises are made above ground. There is
37:51no real disarmament until Hamas's
37:54military infrastructure is dismantled.
37:58That includes weapons, command centers,
38:01and terror tunnels.
38:04No economic rebuilding can take place
38:06while Hamas remains armed. No civilian
38:09future can exist while a terrorist army
38:12controls Gaza.
38:14A genocidal terrorist organization
38:17should not have any weapons.
38:20Hamas understands this reality. That is
38:24why he delays. that it is why he
38:26deceives. But don't just take Israel's
38:29vote for it. Hamas put this in writing.
38:34In the final days of last year, Kamas
38:36released this manifesto.
38:40Very impressive one. This document, a
38:43copy of which was sent to all of your
38:45missions this morning, removes all doubt
38:48about Hamas's real intentions. They
38:51wrote it. It wasn't us. In this
38:55document, it says very clearly, it
38:58rejects disarmament.
39:00It rejects giving up political power. It
39:04denies the atrocities of October 7th. It
39:07justifies and glorifies its mass murder.
39:10Hamas even boasts about its strategy and
39:14diplomacy. In its own words, it calls
39:17one of the achievements of October 7th,
39:20the collapse, and I quote, of Israel's
39:22image at a western democracy.
39:25That tells you everything. This is not
39:27the language of peace, even when dressed
39:30up as diplomacy. It is a road map for
39:32future violence.
39:35Do not fall into Hamas's playbook. Do
39:38not let its propaganda write your
39:40talking points. Hamas still remains
39:44heavily armed. Let me show you the
39:46numbers. It still holds thousands of
39:50rockets, anti-tank missiles, and tens of
39:54thousands of Kalachnikov rifles. In
39:57total, Hamas still holds roughly 60,000
40:02assault rifles.
40:04These weapons are used not only against
40:07us, against Israel, but against gazans
40:10who oppose Hamas rule. This is not a
40:13movement preparing for peace. This is a
40:16terrorist army preparing for its next
40:19war.
40:21Israel has fully implemented phase one
40:24of the agreement. Since the beginning of
40:27the October ceasefire, the volume of aid
40:29has increased sharply. Let's take a look
40:33at the numbers. More than 33,000 trucks
40:36have entered Gaza since October 10th,
40:382025.
40:40They delivered over 850,000
40:43tons of food, 8,300 tons of medical
40:47supplies, more than 420,000
40:50tents.
40:52Every week, more than 4,200 trucks enter
40:56Gaza.
40:5812 field hospitals are operating today.
41:02Israel does not limit UN assistance and
41:05has invited agencies to increase daily
41:08deliveries.
41:10Israel has opened all major crossings
41:13into Gaza and earlier this week
41:16announced the reopening of the Rafa
41:18crossing. Aid is flowing. Coordination
41:22continues.
41:24Mr. President,
41:26while attention remains fixed on Gaza,
41:29another crisis demands urgency. Iran,
41:34the Ayatollah regime is brutally
41:36repressing and murdering its own people.
41:39Behind
41:4020 days of internet and telephone
41:43shutdowns and blockout, civilians
41:45demanding freedom are executed,
41:47arrested, and silenced. Reports now
41:50indicate fat fatalities exceeding
41:5430,000.
41:56That number should shock this council.
41:59Imagine for one minute a Middle East
42:02without this regime. Think about it for
42:06one minute. Billions of dollars would no
42:09longer be spent funding terror.
42:12Lebanon can regain its sovereignty
42:15finally from the clause of Iranianbacked
42:19Hisbala.
42:20Syria
42:22could stop serving as an Iranian weapons
42:24corridor and move towards stability.
42:27Finally, Palestinians in Gaza and Judea
42:30and Samaria could focus on improving
42:33their lives instead of being trapped by
42:35armed radicals.
42:37The problem is not the people of the
42:39region. The problem is the regimes and
42:42militias that profit from chaos.
42:46Look at Yemen. Yemen offers another
42:50clear example of how the Iranian regime
42:52exports hate. The Houthis are not
42:56fighting over borders. They have no
42:59border with us. They have no border with
43:01the US. They have no border with most
43:05countries here.
43:08They are not fighting over land.
43:11The flag tells the entire story.
43:15Look at the flag of the Houthis. That's
43:19what it says in Arabic.
43:22Allah Akbar al-M
43:27is alahass
43:32Islam.
43:34In English, God is great. Death to
43:38America,
43:39death to Israel, curse on the Jews,
43:44victory to Islam. That is the official
43:46flag of the Houthis.
43:49This is radicalism.
43:52It is insanity.
43:59That hatred did not originate in Yemen.
44:02It was cultivated, funded, and armed by
44:05Tehran. The Iranian regime diverted its
44:09own people's money to fund terror
44:11instead of providing basic needs. This
44:15is how the Iranian regime operates. It
44:18builds network of violence and exports
44:20them across the Middle East and beyond.
44:23A regime that massacres its own people
44:26cannot be trusted to respect others. The
44:29world most extreme regime must never
44:31obtain the world's most dangerous
44:33weapon.
44:35Israel has no hostility toward the
44:37people of Iran. Their courage is
44:40undeniable. Their struggle for freedom
44:43deserves support. Their future must be
44:46free of tyranny. Hope, however, is not a
44:49strategy. As Hamas is dismantled, the
44:52Ian regime must be confronted with the
44:55same seriousness. The same clarity must
44:58apply. The same standards must hold.
45:01Israel's position is unmistakable.
45:04Every hostage was brought home. Hamas
45:07must now be dismantled completely. Gaza
45:11must be demilitarized and dradicalized.
45:15Thank you, Mr. President.
45:19I thank the representative of Israel for
45:22this statement.
45:24I now give the floor to the members of
45:26the council. I now give the floor to her
45:30excellency Misara Beso Nanti, Minister
45:34of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.
45:38Thank you, Mr. President, and I thank
45:41the Somali Presidency for convening this
45:44high level debate and the briefest for
45:45their insightful interventions.
45:49Mr. President, excellencies, the Middle
45:52East is not a distant theater of
45:54conflict.
45:56It is a central test of whether this
45:58council can still shape outcomes rather
46:01than merely cataloging suffering.
46:05In the Middle East, we do not confront
46:07one crisis. We face a chain reaction of
46:10wars, reprisals, and unresolved
46:13grievances, each feeding the next.
46:17Liberia's own experience reminds us that
46:19silencing guns matters. But peace does
46:23not come from silence of the guns alone.
46:26It comes from choices. Choices made
46:29early, deliberately, and sustained over
46:32time.
46:34Mr. President, for millions in the
46:36Middle East, war is not an interruption
46:40of life. It is life itself.
46:43There are people who are born under
46:44bombardment, who learn adulthood under
46:47occupation or siege, and who will grow
46:50old without ever knowing what it means
46:53to live without fear. Entire lives, full
46:56lives, have been lived inside conflict
46:59from the first breath to the last. And
47:02nowhere is this tragedy more
47:04unforgivable than the lives of children.
47:07Some babies die. They die while trying
47:09to nurse from mothers whose bodies have
47:12nothing left to give. They die not from
47:14rare diseases or unavoidable fate, but
47:17from hunger, blockade, displacement, and
47:21decisions made far from their cries.
47:24This is not abstract.
47:26This is happening in real time. Children
47:28are growing up inside the wreckage of
47:30our choices.
47:32They inherit wars they did not declare,
47:35hatred they did not choose, and borders
47:38drawn more fiercely than compassion.
47:40They carry the cost of adult power
47:43struggles because the international
47:44community has too often accepted delay,
47:47denial, and turning a blind eye as its
47:51policy.
47:53While children elsewhere worry about
47:55exams, football matches, music,
47:57friendships, and what they might become
47:59in the future, children in the Middle
48:01East learn how to stay safe during
48:03explosions
48:04and the best route to take to find food.
48:07They live in fear not knowing what it
48:08means to be free. This is not only a
48:11moral failure, it is a strategic
48:14catastrophe that recycles violence,
48:16enmity, and hate. Mr. President,
48:19excellencies, the reality of the Middle
48:21East is unfortunately grim, but the
48:23horizon beckons hope. Liberia notes
48:26recent diplomatic efforts aimed at
48:28reducing violence and reopening
48:30political space in Gaza and across the
48:32region. We applaud initiatives led by
48:34Qatar, Egypt, and the United States,
48:36other regional leaders, and other
48:37stakeholders which have helped to create
48:39momentum toward deescalation,
48:42improved humanitarian access and
48:44dialogue. Progress, however, is fragile,
48:48but progress matters. Let's be clear,
48:51this momentum must be sustained.
48:53Therefore, Liberia encourages in
48:55encourages continued engagement with
48:58this council and with all stakeholders
48:59to deepen the progress, seize every
49:02opportunity and consolidate the gains
49:05already made. History shows that
49:07diplomatic openings will close
49:09inevitably, not because they are
49:10imperfect, but because they are
49:12abandoned.
49:14Mr. President, no conflict has more
49:17broadly defined the region than the one
49:19between Israel and Palestine. Liberia is
49:22concerned by this protracted conflict.
49:24We reiterate the urgent need for
49:26immediate and sustained deescalation and
49:28for expanding humanitarian access that
49:30is predictable and safe. Liberia
49:33continues to support a negotiated
49:35two-state solution consistent with
49:37relevant Security Council resolutions.
49:40Security that lacks political legitimacy
49:43cannot endure.
49:44Crisis management, however necessary,
49:47cannot substitute for a genuine peace
49:49process.
49:50Mr. President, excellencies, force can
49:53dominate a moment, but only justice can
49:56shape a future.
49:58If force worked, we would not be here
50:00having this debate.
50:02What is not resolved through dialogue
50:04will resurface louder, angrier, and more
50:07dangerous. Hence, any solution must be
50:09shaped with the involvement of all
50:11concerned stakeholders.
50:13Mr. President and Excellencies, beyond
50:15Gaza, we are aligned by rising tensions
50:18along the blue line between Israel and
50:19Lebanon. We recall Security Council
50:22resolution 1701 and support UNIL's
50:25stabilizing role. In Syria, humanitarian
50:29suffering continues amid political
50:31paralysis.
50:32Resolution 2254
50:35remains the agreed framework for
50:36sustainable peace. Regional engagement
50:39must translate into a political movement
50:41that is inclusive but not an acceptance
50:43of permanent stagnation. In Yemen,
50:46fragile steps toward deescalation offer
50:49a chance that must not be squandered.
50:52Dialogue remains the only path that does
50:53not any more deaths and destruction.
50:57Peace in the Middle East cannot be
50:58defined simply by what ends. It must be
51:02defined by what begins. dignity,
51:05justice, and the freedom for people to
51:07build ordinary lives. It must offer a
51:09future where Jews and Palestinians,
51:11Christians and Muslims, Arabs and
51:13non-Arabs can live not only side by
51:16side, but together working in the same
51:18hospitals, trading in the same markets,
51:20studying the same universities,
51:22protecting shared water sources,
51:24building businesses, and competing in
51:26ideas rather than arms. Finally, Mr.
51:30President Liberia will close with the
51:32following. We call for expanded regular
51:35humanitarian corridors into Gaza and all
51:37conflict zones in the region. We urge
51:40support for confidence building measures
51:41facilitated by UN peace building
51:44measures peacekeeping regional partners
51:48support. We encourage regional actors
51:50and international partners to sustain
51:51diplomatic momentum and avoid the
51:54collapse of current openings. We call on
51:57all stakeholders to support efforts that
51:58restore political legitimacy, governance
52:01capacity, and economic stability for
52:03both Israelis and Palestinians. And we
52:05stress the need to promote regional
52:07commitments to stop the use of children
52:08in conflicts and to shield schools and
52:11hospitals from attacks or misuse.
52:13Liberians ready to work with all council
52:15members for sustainable peace in the
52:16Middle East. Thank you, Mr. President.
52:19>> I thank her excellence Miss Nianti for
52:22her statement. I now give the floor to
52:25his excellency Mr. Georges Jarapetrazas,
52:29Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece.
52:33>> Thank you, Mr. President. I would like
52:35to thank the deputy special coordinator
52:37for his briefing and welcome the new
52:40elected members of the council. We're
52:42looking forward to working with all of
52:44you. Distinguished colleagues, as Greece
52:46continues its tenure on this council, we
52:48do so with clarity of purpose and a
52:51strong sense of responsibility.
52:53At a time when the international system
52:55is facing profound challenges, the
52:58United Nations and the Security Council
53:00in particular continues to provide the
53:03central and indispensable framework for
53:05dialogue, cooperation, and collective
53:08action in support of international peace
53:10and security. Greece's foreign policy is
53:13firmly grounded in respect for the
53:15charter of the United Nations and the
53:18principle enshrines therein respect for
53:21sovereignty and territorial integrity,
53:23the inviability of borders and the
53:25prohibition of the threat of use of
53:27force. These principles are not abstract
53:30ideals. They constitute the foundation
53:33of a stable international order and
53:35guide our collective work within this
53:37council. Peace in the Middle East is an
53:40urgent moral, political, and
53:42humanitarian imperative. Greece
53:45consistently supports all initiatives
53:47that can have a tangible, positive
53:49impact on the ground and bring the
53:51region closer to a lasting peace and
53:53stability. In this period, we have
53:56strongly supported the comprehensive
53:58plans for Gaza and voted in favor of
54:00Security Council resolution 2803.
54:04We acknowledge the progress achieved
54:06towards sustained ceasefire and the
54:09implementation of the 20point Gaza peace
54:11plan endorsed by this council.
54:15We have been very relieved that the body
54:17of the last hostage has been returned to
54:20his family. This development concludes a
54:23deeply painful chapter for the families.
54:27It also opens the path for the full
54:29implementation of phase two, which is a
54:32truly decisive moment. This next step
54:36must include full disarmament of Hamas
54:39and other armed groups. Addressing
54:41Israel, Israel's legitimate long-term
54:44security concerns is a key precondition
54:47for sustainable peace.
54:50The nomination of a Palestinian National
54:52Committee for the Administration of Gaza
54:54with the support of the presidency of
54:56the Palestinian Authority is a welcome
54:58development. It represents an important
55:02step towards legitimate and accountable
55:04governance, which is indispensable for
55:07stability, reconstruction, and long-term
55:09peace. The future reconstruction of Gaza
55:12must be credible, coordinated, and
55:15firmly anchored in legitimate governance
55:17structures and embedded in a broader
55:20political and credible political
55:23horizon. Gaza and the West Bank is a
55:26single indivisible territorial unit for
55:29a future Palestinian state.
55:31The path forward is clear. A credible
55:34political process leading to a two-state
55:36solution allowing Palestinians and
55:39Israelis to live side by side in in
55:41peace and security. Greece stands ready
55:45to contribute actively and responsible
55:48responsibly to the peace process
55:50including through the uh scaling up of
55:53humanitarian assistance and the
55:55development aid in the West Bank. It
55:58continues to provide treatment to
56:00children from Gaza in Greek hospitals.
56:02We are also actively contributing to
56:05efforts aimed at stabilizing security
56:08conditions in Gaza, including through
56:10our participation in the civil military
56:13coordination center.
56:15Overall, our objective is clear. To help
56:18prepare the ground for the day after in
56:20Gaza in close cooperation with the
56:22Palestinian National Committee and the
56:24Palestinian Authority, as well as with
56:27key regional partners such as Egypt,
56:30peace requires the protection of
56:32civilians. Today, despite significant
56:36progress on the delivery of food and
56:37other goods, the humanitarian situation
56:39in Gaza remains difficult. Harsh weather
56:43conditions, devastated infrastructure,
56:45and shortages of food, water, and
56:47medical supplies continue to exaggerbate
56:49suffering. Humanitarian access,
56:52including via Cyprus Maritime Corridor,
56:55must therefore be unimpeded.
56:58We're also concerned with recent
57:00developments affecting UNRA, notably the
57:03demolition of its facilities in East
57:06Jerusalem. Beyond Gaza, the situation in
57:09the West Bank is steadily deteriorating.
57:12Rising settler violence, including
57:14against Christian communities, erodess
57:17trust and fuels instability on the
57:19ground. We also call for a halt to
57:22settlement activities, including in the
57:25E1 area. As the Greek prime minister
57:28stated during his recent visit to Raml
57:31and Jerusalem, Greece's support for the
57:33Palestinian Authority is unwavering.
57:37It remains the legitimate representative
57:39of the Palestinian people and assets
57:42must be empowered politically and
57:44financially. The Palestinian Authority
57:47has been very serious in promoting
57:48reforms with Yel tax revenues must be
57:52released immediately. Equally, the
57:55preservation of the status quo of the
57:56holy sites in Jerusalem is of paramount
57:59importance. Jerusalem is not only a city
58:02of profound religious significance, but
58:05a litmos test for coexistence and mutual
58:08respect. Mr. President, turning to
58:11Lebanon, this council's visit to Beirut
58:13last December was more than symbolic. It
58:16sent a clear message. Lebanon is not
58:19alone. We welcome the progress achieved
58:22in phase one of the national disarmament
58:24plan which brings Lebanon closer to
58:26restoring full control over its
58:28territory in line with relevant security
58:31council resolutions. Nevertheless,
58:34disarmament must be coupled with
58:35sustained capacity building as well as
58:38clear plan for reconstruction.
58:41Greece considers Lebanon as a key
58:43partner for peace. It will support
58:45Lebanon in its efforts for security and
58:47prosperity. It recently delivered
58:50military equipment to the Lebanese armed
58:52forces and stands ready to do more. In
58:56the same vein, we welcome the
58:58organization of an international
58:59conference in Paris on March 5, aiming
59:03at garnering international support
59:05toward the LAF and we're looking forward
59:08to our participation
59:10for Syria. Mr. President, 2025 has been
59:13a landmark year. The fall of the Assad
59:15regime gives a historic opportunity to a
59:17country of great importance for the Arab
59:20world and the eastern Mediterranean.
59:23Greece stands by Syria and is offering
59:25support bilaterally and in its capacity
59:28as EU and security council member. We
59:32must acknowledge the progress achieved
59:34so far, but we should also not disregard
59:37the persisting challenges. We welcome
59:40the asurances by the Syrian government
59:43regarding adherence to international law
59:45and good neighborly relations. We expect
59:48them to be honored, especially in terms
59:50of maritime delimitations with
59:52neighboring states. Syria's sovereignty,
59:55unity, and territorial integrity must
59:57[clears throat] be fully respected. We
1:00:00also support the country's engagement
1:00:02with the United Nations and wirly
1:00:04encourage its further enhancement,
1:00:06looking forward to the prompt
1:00:08establishment of the office of the
1:00:09special envoy in Damascus. At the same
1:00:12time, we should not forget that 2025
1:00:16was marked by violence against allowits,
1:00:18Drews, Christians, and lately the Kurds.
1:00:21We need more information, clarity, and
1:00:24indeed accountability.
1:00:26We re reiterate the need for an
1:00:28inclusive transition and protection of
1:00:31all Syrians, including women, without
1:00:34any discrimination whatsoever due to
1:00:36religious or ethnic background as a
1:00:39prerequisite for stability and recovery.
1:00:43Syria's wealth lies in its diverse and
1:00:46pluralistic society. Civilians must be
1:00:49protected under all circumstances. The
1:00:52latest developments in the northeast
1:00:54prove how fragile the transition remains
1:00:57and causes concern. The ceasefire
1:01:00agreement reached between the Syrian
1:01:02government and the SDF should be fully
1:01:05implemented by all sides. We call on all
1:01:09actors, including external actors, to
1:01:11act with restraint and avoid escalation
1:01:14that could destabilize the country and
1:01:16exacerbate ethnic tensions. The
1:01:19protection of Kurds must be fully
1:01:21ensured and their political and cultural
1:01:23rights safeguarded in a united Syria. We
1:01:27would also like to underline the need to
1:01:29tackle terrorism and extremism and
1:01:31address the military and security sector
1:01:33reform. In particular, the fight the
1:01:36fight against d ISIS should continue and
1:01:39detain camps must be fully safeguarded.
1:01:43Finally, on Yemen, we reaffirm our full
1:01:46respect for the sovereignty, unity, and
1:01:48territorial integrity. And we call upon
1:01:50all parties to engage constructively and
1:01:53in good faith in an inclusive
1:01:56Yemenled and Yemen owned political
1:01:58process under the opaces of the United
1:02:00Nations.
1:02:02Despite the escalation in the south, we
1:02:05remain vigilant. While the situation in
1:02:07the Red Sea is becoming more
1:02:09complicated, we reiterate the importance
1:02:12of maritime security and freedom of
1:02:14navigation. The Red Sea constitutes a
1:02:17vital waterway for the region and the
1:02:19world and the Houthis continue to pose a
1:02:22serious threat in this regard. Greece,
1:02:25honoring its long maritime tradition,
1:02:27will continue to support regional and
1:02:29international activities and provide her
1:02:32leadership to EU naval operation as
1:02:34speeders in line with council
1:02:36resolutions and in full respect of
1:02:39international law. In conclusion, Mr.
1:02:41President Greece remains fully committed
1:02:44to working with all members of this
1:02:46council, with the United Nation, and
1:02:48with regional partners to turn
1:02:50commitments into action so that hope
1:02:53prevails over suffering, dignity over
1:02:55despair and peace becomes a reality
1:02:58delivered. As a country of the Eastern
1:03:00Mediterranean, Greece is deeply
1:03:02conscious of the direct impact that
1:03:04instability in the region has on
1:03:06international peace and security. This
1:03:08awareness together with our
1:03:10long-standing commitment to
1:03:11multilateralism and international law
1:03:14underpins our readiness to act as a
1:03:16constructive and reliable partner in
1:03:19efforts to promote dialogue,
1:03:21deescalation, and lasting peace. I thank
1:03:24you.
1:03:26>> I thank his excellenc Mr. Jer Petraas
1:03:29for his statement. I now give the floor
1:03:33to the representative of United States.
1:03:36>> Thank you, Mr. President.
1:03:38Uh thank you uh Deputy Special
1:03:42Coordinator
1:03:44Alak Baraf for your briefing. It was
1:03:46good to spend time with you uh late last
1:03:49year. Welcome to our colleagues, your
1:03:51excellencies of foreign ministers from
1:03:54Greece and Liberia. I think first and
1:03:56foremost,
1:03:58we should truly take heart that Ron
1:04:01Gavi's
1:04:03remains have finally returned to his
1:04:05family who have suffered through
1:04:07unthinkable hardship for far too long.
1:04:10His funeral was today
1:04:13and we hope his return brings a measure
1:04:16of soloulless and closure uh for the
1:04:18family that I also had the honor to
1:04:21spend some time with. And we are I think
1:04:24we all hope the remains of all the
1:04:28deceased
1:04:30are returned to their loved ones. Those
1:04:33that were killed in this horrible war
1:04:36started by Hamas
1:04:40so that these families can have some
1:04:42type of closure and peace. colleagues,
1:04:45for the first time since 2014
1:04:48and over a decade, Hamas and its
1:04:50terrorist organi terrorist affiliates no
1:04:53longer hold any hostages in Gaza.
1:04:58That's extraordinary
1:05:01and we should take note of it. And I
1:05:03hope all those who claimed Hamas
1:05:07didn't know the locations of every
1:05:10hostage understand frankly their error.
1:05:14It is only due to the relentless efforts
1:05:16of the Israeli people and government,
1:05:18the tireless work of President Trump,
1:05:21his special envoys Wickoff and Kushner,
1:05:24and the strong pressure put on Hamas,
1:05:28brought to bear by not only the United
1:05:30States, but our partners in the region,
1:05:32that all the hostages have at last
1:05:35returned home
1:05:37and we could take those yellow ribbons
1:05:39off our lapels. Colleagues, on January
1:05:4216th,
1:05:44President Trump celebrated the formation
1:05:48of the National Committee for the
1:05:50Administration of Gaza.
1:05:52For the first time since 2007,
1:05:58the people of Gaza who desperately want
1:06:01peace and they want peace and not Hamas,
1:06:05its supporters or its enablers, they
1:06:08have an opportunity to chart a peaceful
1:06:11future for the Gaza Strip. We are
1:06:15grateful, deeply grateful for Dr. Ali
1:06:19Sha's leadership of the National
1:06:22Committee and for our partnership with
1:06:25those serving alongside him to restore
1:06:27public services, to rebuild civil
1:06:30institutions, and to stabilize daily
1:06:33life uh in Gaza. Last week in Davos,
1:06:36President Trump announced the Board of
1:06:39Peace
1:06:41and with it the transition to phase two
1:06:45of the 20point plan, both of which were
1:06:49established and endorsed by this
1:06:52committee in resolution 2803. The
1:06:55results of phase one speak for
1:06:57themselves. a ceasefire that the entire
1:07:02world were begging for and demanding,
1:07:06humanitarian aid that was so desperately
1:07:08needed,
1:07:10and the release and return of all
1:07:12hostage hostages to their families.
1:07:15Phase two
1:07:17will advance the full demilitarization
1:07:20and reconstruction of Gaza in line with
1:07:22the president's plan and with Security
1:07:24Council resolution 2803. On behalf of
1:07:28the United States, I would like to thank
1:07:31all those that have committed to joining
1:07:34the Board of Peace, especially fellow
1:07:37council members Bahrain and Pakistan.
1:07:41Under President Trump's chairmanship,
1:07:43the Board of Peace is acting and not
1:07:46just talking. With the president's
1:07:49vision and tenacity, the board will help
1:07:52realize a new Gaza and a break from this
1:07:56decades old cycle of violence.
1:08:01We realize it's unconventional.
1:08:04Change makes some uncomfortable,
1:08:07but with this innovative approach, we
1:08:09are leaving behind decades of wasted
1:08:12time, wasted money, and wasted chances
1:08:15for peace. And we are already seeing
1:08:17results with the cooperation and
1:08:20assistance of Israel and our Board of
1:08:22Peace partners. Over 55,000
1:08:27trucks have entered Gaza, bringing food,
1:08:30shelter, and medicine since the
1:08:32ceasefire began. Over 1.3 million people
1:08:35have received food assistance. In
1:08:38December,
1:08:40we welcomed the reopening of Alan B gate
1:08:43and King Hussein bridge, the crossing
1:08:45between
1:08:47uh the crossing between uh Israel and
1:08:50Jordan, and we welcome the full opening
1:08:53of the reopening of the Rafa border
1:08:57crossing which will expedite the flow of
1:08:59medical evacuations. But we must take
1:09:02care. assistance cannot devolve into
1:09:05dependence.
1:09:06And with support
1:09:08from the high representative for Gaza,
1:09:12Nico Nikolai Meladnov,
1:09:17the national committee will restore
1:09:19essential services throughout Gaza and
1:09:21foster an economy where opportunity
1:09:23replaces unemploy unemployment and
1:09:26dependence. But before we can reach this
1:09:28goal,
1:09:30Hamas and other militant groups
1:09:33must lay down their arms. Point one of
1:09:37the president's 20point plan
1:09:40is that Gaza will be dra will be a
1:09:43dradicalized terror-free zone that does
1:09:46not pose a threat to its neighbors. They
1:09:48must live up to their end of the
1:09:50bargain. And point two
1:09:53is that Gaza will be redeveloped for the
1:09:56benefit of the people of Gaza who have
1:09:58suffered for far too long and from more
1:10:01than enough. Uh only dradicalization,
1:10:05only disarmament, only demilitarization
1:10:08will bring Gaza prosperity and
1:10:10stability. And we along with our
1:10:12partners on the board of peace and in
1:10:14consultation with the national committee
1:10:16will apply pressure to Hamas to honor
1:10:19its commitment and to disarm. Hamas must
1:10:22not have any role in the governance of
1:10:26Gaza directly or indirectly in any form.
1:10:29Period.
1:10:31All military terror and offensive
1:10:34infrastructure, including tunnels and
1:10:36weapon productions facilities, will be
1:10:39destroyed and not rebuilt.
1:10:42International independent monitors will
1:10:46supervise a process of demilitarization
1:10:48of Gaza to include placing weapons
1:10:52permanently beyond use through an agreed
1:10:54process of decommissioning
1:10:57and supported by an internationally
1:10:59funded buyback and reintegration
1:11:01program. New Gaza will be fully
1:11:05committed to building
1:11:08a prosperous economy and a peaceful
1:11:11coexistence with its neighbors. We
1:11:14salute and thank our friends who have
1:11:16agreed to contribute to the
1:11:19International Stabilization Force. Under
1:11:21the leadership of Major General Jasper
1:11:24Jeffers of the United States Army, the
1:11:26ISF will begin to establish control and
1:11:30stability so that the Israeli Defense
1:11:34Forces can withdraw from Gaza based on
1:11:39standards, milestones, and time frames
1:11:42linked to demilitarization.
1:11:44These will be agreed upon between the
1:11:46IDF, the ISF, the guaranurs, and the
1:11:51United States with an objective of a
1:11:53secure Gaza that no longer poses a
1:11:55threat to its neighbors or its citizens.
1:11:58Colleagues, the United States remains
1:12:00fully committed to working in close
1:12:04partnership with Israel, with key Arab
1:12:07and Muslim majority nations, and with
1:12:10the international community to bring the
1:12:13peace, the prosperity, and the security
1:12:16and dignity to the region that its
1:12:18people deserve. I thank you, Mr.
1:12:20President.
1:12:22I thank the representative of United
1:12:24States for his statement and now give
1:12:26the floor the representative of United
1:12:28Kingdom.
1:12:31>> Thank you, President.
1:12:34I thank Deputy Special Coordinator
1:12:36Alakov for his briefing and I also join
1:12:39others in welcoming the foreign
1:12:40ministers of Liberia and Greece to the
1:12:42council today.

About this transcript

This page contains the full transcript of BREAKING NEWS: UN Security Council Holds Urgent Debate on Middle East Peace and Conflict | AC14 by DWS News, generated from the public captions YouTube serves with the video. The transcript has 8,794 words across 1,585 segments, with the original timestamps preserved so you can click any line to jump to that moment in the embedded player.

What you can do with it

Use the transcript to take notes, quote the speaker, build a study guide, generate a summary with ChatGPT or Claude via the YouTube Summary tool, or export it as a timed subtitle file with YouTube to SRT. You can also re-open it in the transcriber to translate the transcript into 100+ languages.

Free YouTube transcript tool

YouTube2Text is a free YouTube transcript generator — no signup, no daily limit. Paste any YouTube link and get the full transcript instantly, with timestamps, click-to-jump, translation to 100+ languages, AI prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, and exports to TXT, SRT, VTT, or Markdown.