Qatar Urges UN Action to Halt Israeli Aggression and Strengthen Assembly’s Role

New York, The Gulf Observer: The State of Qatar has called on the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to take decisive action to ensure an immediate cessation of Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, urging the implementation of relevant UN resolutions.

Qatar also pressed the General Assembly to uphold its responsibilities in addressing the systematic campaign targeting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), reaffirming the agency’s mandate under General Assembly Resolution 302 (IV) of 1949.

These remarks were made by Her Excellency Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, during the UNGA debate on Agenda item 63: “Use of the Veto”, held at the UN headquarters in New York.

Her Excellency highlighted Qatar’s commitment to strengthening the General Assembly’s role in maintaining international peace and security under the UN Charter. She referenced the significance of the “Uniting for Peace” resolution, adopted as General Assembly Resolution 377 (V), which enables the Assembly to act when the Security Council fails to address critical international peace and security issues.

She noted that the initiative on the use of the veto reflects Qatar’s awareness of the need for an enhanced, integrated relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council. This collaboration has become increasingly critical due to the Security Council’s inability to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by vetoes from permanent members.

Her Excellency emphasized that discussions within the General Assembly provide a crucial platform for international consensus, calling for an immediate and sustainable end to the violence in Gaza to safeguard Palestinian civilians and uphold international humanitarian law.

She reaffirmed that Resolution 76/262, addressing the use of the veto, respects the mandates of the Security Council and the General Assembly as outlined in the UN Charter, without infringing on intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform.

Qatar reiterated its unwavering support for multilateralism, stressing the central role of the General Assembly in addressing critical issues where the Security Council has failed, particularly in cases of gross human rights violations and threats to global peace and security.

Her Excellency concluded by urging the General Assembly to build upon the veto initiative, ensuring that it can recommend actions in the face of international crises and humanitarian emergencies, thereby reinforcing its pivotal role in the global peace and security framework.