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Bangladesh has called for urgent international action to end Israeli occupation, illegal settlement expansion and human rights violations in Palestine, reaffirming its unwavering support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Irene Khan, made the call while addressing the UN Security Council’s open debate on “The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question” in New York on Friday, according to a Foreign Ministry press release.
Expressing grave concern over the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, Khan strongly condemned the continuing suffering of Palestinian civilians and escalating Israeli actions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
She also voiced deep concern over increasing land confiscation, violence and illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
“The deadlock in the Security Council has enabled Israel to operate with impunity,” she said.
The Bangladesh envoy urged the Security Council to take decisive measures to halt annexation, forced displacement and human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.
She stressed the need to ensure accountability for violations of international law and protect the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people.
Reaffirming Bangladesh’s longstanding position on Palestine, Khan said Dhaka remained firmly committed to supporting the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination.
She underscored the importance of ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to Palestinians and called for full respect for the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
She also stressed that humanitarian agencies must be allowed to continue their operations to provide essential assistance to vulnerable Palestinian communities.
Turning to the wider Middle East, Khan condemned Israeli attacks and occupation in Syria and Lebanon, warning of their implications for regional peace and stability. She emphasised the need for an adequate United Nations presence in Lebanon and expressed Bangladesh’s support for such efforts.
The ambassador also strongly condemned deadly Houthi attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia that caused civilian casualties, including among Bangladeshi migrant workers.
She expressed concern over the threats such attacks posed to civilian lives and regional security.
Reaffirming Bangladesh’s commitment to promoting a Culture of Peace, Khan urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, protect civilians and uphold international humanitarian law.
She called for collective international efforts to prevent further escalation and advance lasting peace and stability across the Middle East.