President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas said that the Israeli occupation imposes major challenges that hinder sustainable urban development efforts in more than 60% of the West Bank and the entire city of East Jerusalem.

His Excellency added in his speech at the 12th World Urban Forum of the United Nations Program, which opened in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, today, Monday, that the occupation is practicing crimes of genocide and ethnic cleansing, and has destroyed more than 80% of the homes, facilities, hospitals and schools in the Gaza Strip, and is committing crimes of stealing land and natural resources in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The President called on the international community to stop the occupying state and hold it accountable and punish it for its crimes and actions as if it were an authority above international law.

His Excellency reiterated the necessity of holding the occupying state accountable for its failure to fulfill its obligations towards its acceptance of membership in the United Nations in 1949, and its failure to implement General Assembly Resolutions 181 and 194, which requires taking the necessary measures against it.

The President stressed that implementing the relevant UN resolutions, the latest of which is the General Assembly resolution on the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and the State of Palestine obtaining full membership in the United Nations, is a fundamental right to achieve justice and stability in the region.

The President stressed the necessity of implementing Security Council Resolution No. 2735 regarding an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation from the entire Gaza Strip, relief and shelter for the displaced in preparation for reconstruction, and the State of Palestine assuming its full duties therein.

His Excellency stressed that establishing the foundations of security and peace will open the door wide for implementing sustainable urban development programmes in Palestine, in line with the goals of the United Nations, and in a way that achieves resilience and sustainability.

Below is the text of the President's speech:

Leaders, Heads of Delegations, Distinguished Guests

This year, the State of Palestine is participating in the World Urban Forum of the United Nations Programme, in light of the destruction, crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes of theft of land and natural resources practiced by the Israeli occupation against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

This imposes major challenges on us that hinder sustainable urban development efforts in more than 60% of the West Bank and the entire city of East Jerusalem, in addition to the destruction of more than 80% of the Gaza Strip’s housing, facilities, hospitals and schools, in addition to the martyrdom and injury of more than one hundred and fifty thousand Palestinians.

The international community is required to stop the occupying state, hold it accountable, and punish it for its crimes and actions as if it were an authority above international law. We reiterate here the necessity of holding the occupying state of Israel accountable for its failure to fulfill its obligations towards its acceptance of membership in the United Nations in 1949, and its failure to implement General Assembly Resolutions 181 and 194, which requires taking the necessary measures against it, in the event that it does not fulfill its obligations.

Implementing the relevant United Nations resolutions, the latest of which is the General Assembly resolution on the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, leading to the end of the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 borders, and the State of Palestine obtaining full membership, is a fundamental right to achieve justice and stability in the region.

It is time, after more than a year of genocide against our Palestinian people, to implement Security Council Resolution 2735 regarding an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the entire Gaza Strip, relief and shelter for the displaced in preparation for reconstruction, and the State of Palestine assuming its full duties therein, reiterating also the importance of implementing Security Council Resolution 2334.

Establishing the foundations of security and peace will open the door wide for implementing sustainable urban development programs in Palestine, in line with the goals of the United Nations, and in a way that achieves resilience and sustainability, and creates job opportunities within the framework of a green economy, and a digital transformation that keeps pace with development standards, which requires building national and international partnerships in order to advance the economy and secure the future of future generations.

We extend our sincere thanks to His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his kind invitation and hospitality, and we renew our appreciation for the great achievements made by our sister country Egypt in the field of sustainable urban development. Thanks also go to the United Nations and all the organizers of this important forum, which we wish success and prosperity.