Unofficial Transcript 
65th General Assembly
Statement by Iran
Agenda item 37 “Question of Palestine”, November 30, 2010

IRAN:  Thank you Mr. President.  The newly released reports on the question of Palestine, particularly the report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (A/65/35), once again bear witness to the unfortunate reality that, in the period under consideration, the Israeli regime has continued with its crimes against the defenseless Palestinian people and has been systematically altering the Palestinian land through unlawful policies and practices. It is evident that such a regime cannot be a righteous and trusted partner in negotiations for a peace agreement.
The arrogant and occupying powers have made use of all their force, distortion and violence over the past decades in order to establish their control. They are trying to make the Middle East a platform for their expansionist policies for other regions of the world.
They are not satisfied with anything less than bending the region to their will. In that respect, I have to make it clear that in the history of the existence of the Zionist regime, there has been nothing but crimes: the killing of men, women and children in Palestine, the use of banned weapons and the stockpiling of nuclear weapons, indiscriminate assassinations, attacks on civilians and aid convoys in international waters, and war crimes in Lebanon and Palestine. All those ugly acts have become routine affairs for the occupying regime.
The arrogant and occupying Powers have long attempted to create divisions in the Middle East region. They want to divide peoples composed of varied religions and denominations that have lived together in harmony and coexistence. They want to harm brotherly relations among nations and peoples, such as the friendly relations that so happily exist among the Lebanese, Syrian, Iranian and other nations and peoples in the region.
In Lebanon, we find that the sinful hand of treachery assassinated the former Prime Minister, a respected person, and then we see how news is fabricated to direct accusations at other respected groups and leaders in an effort to sow seeds of division.
Creating sectarian sensitivity and denominational tension and division is a well-known tactic. The enemies of humanity did not and do not want the people of the region to be united, independent and developed. However, the region’s nations know well that the symbols of might are unity and solidarity.
The only way to solve the Palestinian issue and establish peace rooted in the region is to admit the sovereign right of Palestine and to end the occupation. The Palestinian people should be allowed to freely express their opinions regarding their future. There is no doubt that the Palestinian people can exercise their national sovereignty themselves.
In November last year, the General Assembly adopted resolution 64/10 on the follow-up to the report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. But no concrete action has been taken to bring to justice the Israeli perpetrators of the crimes reported in the Goldstone report (A/HRC/12/48). The question remains, when and where impunity for the criminals will end. The time has come for the United Nations to prove that it is an effective organization representing the will of the people of the world. Rather than recognizing occupation, the United Nations should recognize the legitimacy and right of the Palestinian people to exercise their sovereignty and should bring the criminals to justice.
Those are prerequisites to lasting stability in the Middle East. Trust and confidence, together with the active engagement of the international community, is the only way forward to peace. Thank you Mr. President.