STATEMBNT BY H.E. MR. PAUL BADJI CHAIRMAN OF THB COMMITTEE ON TIM EXERCISE OF THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLB ON THE OCCASIONOF THE INTBRNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PBOPLE 29 NOVEMBER 2OO5

Excellencies, LadiesaadGentlemen, A sense sharedresponsibility hasbeenbringing us togetheron 29 November of of eachyear to observethe IntemationalDay of solidarity with the Palestinit feople. The presence at this meetingof many distinguishedparticipantsand guestsfrom United Nations otg-s, MemUer-State and-Observer delegations, United Nations agencies intergovemmental and orginizations,aswell as civil societyorganizations, a greathonour andreflectsthe overwhelmingrJsponse is ; the invitation extended the Committeeon the Exerciseof ttre Inalienabl" fJgftt of6"falestinian by Peopleto the intemationalcommlnity_to cometogetherandvoice its ,oppo? ro. trr" i*i "u*" of the Palestinian peoplefor its inalienablerights. what makesthis observance specialis that threeweeksago,on r0 November,the committee markedthe 30ft anniversaryof its establishment G GeneralAsse-uty. by lt ** rrot " causefor celebration,but ratheran opporhrnityfor all ofus to reflect upon decades o"ffailed efforts by the intemationalcommunityand the partiesthemselves resolveG question palestine. to of This gatheringtoday gives us a chanceto pledgeour unwaveringcommitrnentio -o,rinj ior**a towardsbringing aboutajust solution ofthe questionof palestine. This Day.of Solidarity also remindsus that therewill be no final solution to the . IsraeliPalestinianconflict without theachievement the Palestinian by peopleof its inalienablerights definedby the GeneralAssemblyn 1974asthe right to self-deiermination without extemal interference, right to national independence sovereignty, the right ofpJeriini-s the and and to retum to their homesandproperty,from which they had beendisplacedani uprooted. The occupationof Palestinianland andthe occupyingPower'sultimate refusalto relinquish control over the PalestinianTerritory, including Eastrenrsatim, complicates "rortr, u" it uy trr" intemationalcommunity or theparties to the conflict, to arrive at ajust solution to tjre connict, Aat "palestine, islo say,the implementationof the vision of two States, Israeland uuing;ia" uy.iae within secure recognizedborders. and This year againhasseen,enco'raging developments, renewedrapprochement a ofthe two partiesto the conflict, contrasted-by continuationof illegal policies bith" the or""py;;power, and " an upsurgein violencetriggeredby the never-ending circte or attacts andretaliati# The passingof its national leaderYasserArafat over a year ago represented real a challenge for the Palestinian peopleand institutions.It led, however,to .p"ur"firl, democraticanJ responsible hansition aad, in free and fair elections,MahmoudAbbaswas voted into the oflice of President the PalestinianAuthority. soon after, the fnst summitmeetingin years of washeld at Shannel-Sheikhbetweenthe Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon" palistinian and Authority President MahmoudAbbas. The commitments madeby the partiescreatedu n"* -o-"ntotowardsthe resumptionof the political process. Last September, Committeewelcomedthe Israeli withdrawal fiom the GazaStrip the and four small settlements the northemWest Bank as a rareopportunityto revive negotiations in within the fiamework of the RoadMap and restartthe stalledpolitical process. It shorrta fs n;ieo, however,that, as we speak,Israelremainsin control ofthe bordersofthe Gaza Strip, inciuoing its

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tenitorial seaand air spaceandthe movementof peopleand goodsin the WestBanh thus hamperingany meaningfuleconomicdevelopment. At the sametime, the situationin the West Bank remainsa causefor concem. In the course of the year, Israel intensifiedthe expansion settlements the West Banb including East in of Jerusalem, accelerated constructionof the illegal wall on occupiedPalestinian and the land. The groundis accompanied alarmingreportsof plansfor intensified creationofnew facts on the by constructionin West Bank settlements, including in and aroundEastJerusalem.This is happening in contraventionoflsrael's obligationsunderthe RoadMap and in violation of intemationallaw andthe advisoryopinion of the InternationalCourt ofJustice. The Committeehasrecentlybeenencouraged intensifiedefforts ofthe international by communityat revitalizing the RoadMap andfacilitating dialoguebetween parties. Intemational the donorshavepledgedsubstantial financial resources towardsthe recoveryof Gazain the aftermath of the pull-out. Also, the European Union standsreadyto provide for a third-partypresence the at RafahTenninal betweenGazaandEg1pt. We expectboth partiesto cooperate fully with the and other facilitators. Quartet The United Nations,for its part, shouldcontinueto maintain its permanent responsibility towardsthe questionof Palestine until it is eflectively resolvedin all its aspects.llltimately, it is the implementationof the United Nationsresolutions,including SecurityCouncil resolutions242, 338, 1397 and 1515 that will leadto a permanent two-Statesolutiorl based the 1967 borders and on people. This Committee,asthe only the realizationof the inalienablerights of the Palestinian intergovernmental body in the United Nationsdevotedexclusivelyto political aspects the of questionof Palestine, peopleto achieveits inalienable will do its utrnostto help the Palestinian rights andrealize its nationalaspirations a Stateof its own. The Committeeis readyto carry on in the importantmandate entrusted it by the GeneralAssemblyfor the benefit of the Palestinian to peopleandwork at heighteninginternationalawareness the questionof Palestine of mtil it is in accordance with internationallegitimacy. resolved Excellencies, Ladiesand Gentlemen" The dedicatedengagement all ofus in efforts to resolvethe questionof Palestine, of the activeengagement the Quartet,other Govemments, United Nationsfamily, of the intergovemmental civil societyorganizations institutions, aswell asindividuals, should and and just contributeto building a broad-based supportessential the achievement comprehensive, for ofa andlastingpeacein the Middle East. On behalf of the Committeeon the Exerciseof the Inalienable Rights ofthe PalestinianPeople,allow me to reiterateour Committee'sstrongsupportfor this noble goal. We pledgeour readiness continueto work towardsits atlainmenttogetherwith all Member to States all sectorsof civil society. and We shouldlike to takethe opportunityaffordedby this solemnmeetingto offer our profoundgratitudeto the Secretary-General the United Nations,His ExcellencyMr. Kofi Annan, of for his continuing activesupportofthe Committee'sactivities and for his untiring efforts at

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revitalizing the peaceprocess. He is alwaysthere to act asthe catalystfor peaceand we very much appreciate it. We also thank the President the GeneralAssemblyandthe President the Security of of Council for the interestthey show in the work of the Committeeandfor the closeattentionthey pay to the problemsof the Middle East. We havenotedwith greatsatisfactionthe presence this meetingof many ambassadors at whoseHeadsof Stateor Govemmenthaveconveyedmessages supportof and solidarity with the of people,providing us and,most importantly,the Palestinian people,with inspirationand Palestinian encouragement. It is a pleasurefor me to welcomeamongus the representatives our traditional parbrers: of the Movementof Non-Aligned Countries,the African Union, the Organizationof the Islamic Conference, the Leagueof Arab States. I would like to thankthem for their participationin this and IntemationalDay of Solidarity andfor their constantsupportfor the work of our Committee. I alsotake this opportunityto conveythe Committee'sappreciation the devotedwork for carriedout by the personnelof agencies, bodies,funds andprogrammes the United Nations of systemon the groundtogetherwith their colleagues from multiple cMl societyorganizations to populationin the OccupiedTerritory. improvethe daily lives of the Palestinian In conclusion,I would like, onceagain,to call on all the representatives MemberStates of and of intergovemmental civil societyorganizations, and who arepresent heretoday, to redouble and their efforts in supportofajust, comprehensive lasting solutionofthe questionofPalestine.
Thank vou.

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