The State of Qatar reiterated the importance of full enjoyment by the Palestinian people of their rights and sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as well as the enjoyment by the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan of their rights over their natural resources.
This came in a statement delivered by third secretary of the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Ahmed bin Saif Al Kuwari before the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) of the 73rd UN General Assembly on item (64) related to "Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources".
Year after year the reports of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) monitor the continuing suffering of the Palestinian people and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan, Al Kuwari said, adding this current report pointed to the destruction and confiscation of property and infrastructure, the demolition of Palestinian homes and their livelihood-related buildings, in addition to the rejection to grant Palestinians building permits, restrictions on movement and livelihood opportunities, and the exploitation or destruction of and damage to natural resources by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.
While these practices constituted a violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, we would like to express our deep concern over what the report pointed out in relation to the difficulties faced by hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory in finding a safe and child-friendly environment, as well as attacks and threats targeting schools, students and teachers.
He stressed that, given the importance of investing in the development, protection and education of children, which was the key to development, we renew our call to continue efforts to protect education and educational institutions, especially as the right to education should not be dropped by emergency circumstances.
Al Kuwari pointed out that Qatar's contribution to the $50 million program of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) was crucial in the decision to open schools this year without delay, stressing that these efforts from the State of Qatar comes in its quest to play a positive role in favor of stability necessary to achieve peace.
He added that the Sustainable Development Plan of 2030, which stressed the importance of peaceful societies which are free from fear and violence, recognized the major challenges to achieving durable peace and sustainable development in countries in conflict and called for more effective action, in accordance with international law, to remove obstacles to the full realization of the right to self-determination of peoples under colonial and foreign occupation, which continue to adversely affect their economic and social development.
Concluding, Ahmed bin Saif Al Kuwari reiterated the importance of the full enjoyment by the Palestinian people of their rights and sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as well as the enjoyment by the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan of their rights over their natural resources.