Original text
The United Kingdom condemns the continuing reckless attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and their wider acts of escalation in Yemen and the region. As Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said, we are appalled by the latest attacks on King Khalid Airport. Our thoughts are with those families who have lost loved ones and those injured. We are pleased to announce that just before this meeting, the counc...
The United Kingdom condemns the continuing reckless attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and their wider acts of escalation in Yemen and the region. As Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said, we are appalled by the latest attacks on King Khalid Airport. Our thoughts are with those families who have lost loved ones and those injured. We are pleased to announce that just before this meeting, the council agreed on a presidential statement which will be adopted later this afternoon. It reiterates the Council’s condemnation of Houthi attacks and our solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. President, last week marked three years since Hamas’ horrific attacks of 7 October 2023, and their appalling acts against the people of Israel and other nations. As Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said, we remember those who were senselessly killed and offer our deepest condolences to all those who lost loved ones, were injured, or taken hostage. Like many in this chamber, I had the honour of joining the memorial event organised by our Israeli colleagues last week and hearing the testimonies of some of those who survived. Including Eliya Cohen, held in captivity for 505 days, and his wife Ziv Abud. Their story, like the story of so many Israelis and Palestinians, are powerful reminders of the importance of ending the cycle of violence and securing lasting peace for both peoples. The two-state solution remains the only route to achieving this. But today, that goal is under serious threat. A year ago, the United Kingdom welcomed President Trump’s 20-point plan, the ceasefire in Gaza, and adoption of resolution 2803 that followed. A year on, we continue to welcome that plan. We recognise progress made, and we continue to support the full implementation of resolution 2803. But progress is not yet sufficient. Since the ceasefire, an average of four people have been killed every day. Among them, over 300 children. Humanitarian conditions are devastating. Civilians are facing a fourth winter in tents and makeshift shelters, amid plummeting temperatures, flooding, open sewage, and accumulating waste. The risk of disease is rising. Gaza’s health system has been decimated and restrictions on essential supplies continue. Over 8000 emergency shelter kits pre-positioned outside Gaza continue to be denied entry. During the UN’s High-Level Week, Foreign Secretary Miliband, with the Foreign Ministers of Jordan and Qatar, launched a Call to Action on humanitarian access and healthcare in Gaza. That Call to Action set out what is needed from the Government of Israel: to facilitate aid at scale and remove unnecessary restrictions, including on items designated as dual-use. The Government of Israel must ensure compliance with its obligations under international humanitarian law and remove the current restrictions on critical aid. And in line with Resolution 2803, Hamas must decommission its weapons, must dismantle its terrorist infrastructure and must transition governance and security control. President, this must be matched by progress on the political track, with a view to reunifying Gaza and the West Bank under the governance of the Palestinian Authority. The United Kingdom supports the Palestinian Authority’s reform agenda as central to improving service delivery to Palestinian citizens. We deeply regret the Palestinian Authority’s decision to postpone Palestinian legislative and presidential elections to September 2027. This will once again deprive Palestinians of the opportunity to vote and will further erode confidence in democratic institutions. And we call on the Palestinian Authority to reconsider this decision and hold elections without further delay. A viable Palestinian state needs recovery in Gaza and political progress, and an end to the violence, displacement and settlement expansion in the West Bank that are eroding prospects for peace. Settler violence and settlement expansion continue at alarming levels. In just one week in September, the UN recorded 51 settler attacks, causing casualties and widespread property damage, including to hundreds of olive and fruit trees. As the olive harvest starts, we urge Israeli authorities to ensure Palestinian communities can harvest safely and without intimidation, violence or restrictions on access to their land. We remain appalled by the E1 development. The Government of Israel must halt these plans immediately, retract the tender, and stop all settlement expansion. Madame President, the United Kingdom has acted in defence of the two-state solution, and we continue to work with partners to defend the viability of a Palestinian state and secure lasting peace and security for Israelis and for Palestinians alike.
Speech Brief