CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Statement by the Representative of Cuba, Rebeca Hernández Toledano, during the consideration by the Fourth Committee of agenda item 51: United Nations relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. New York. 2 November 2010.

Mr. Chairman,

My delegation wishes to congratulate Mr. Filippo Grandi, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East on his election to lead the Agency, as well as to thank him for the presentation of the Report on its work. Likewise, we thank its entire group for the hard work they have carried out for over 60 years, under the most hostile conditions.

Back in 1950, when the Agency was established, we could not imagine its noble humanitarian work would extend so long. The Agency has been carrying out outstanding relief efforts for the terrible living conditions of Palestinian refugees. The Report we review today contains vivid testimonies in this regard and includes the numerous activities and difficulties faced by the Agency in order to fulfill its mandate.

Mr. Chairman,

Cuba considers unjustifiable that the Palestinian people continues to suffer the long and brutal Israeli occupation of their land since 1967, as well as that they continue to be denied their fundamental human rights, inter alia, the right to self-determination and the right of the Palestinian refugees to return to their land, under General Assembly resolution 194.

The tragic deterioration of the political, economic, social, and humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as a consequence of continued illegal policies and practices of Israel, the Occupying Power, against the Palestinian people remains a matter of concern. The construction of a separation Wall, in clear violation of international laws, continues, and the settlement policy grows stronger on the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. 

Mr. Chairman,

The situation in the Gaza Strip is truly alarming. Following the brutal war carried out by Israel in December 2008, the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the refugees, whom UNRWA must tend to, have worsened.

 

This year, after the criminal attack perpetrated by the special forces of the Israeli army in the early hours of 31 May, against a flotilla of ships that was in international waters and was carrying humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people living in the Gaza Strip, Cuba called upon the international community to demand that the Israeli authorities immediately lift the illegal, merciless and genocidal blockade against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

However, for the fourth consecutive year, Israel continued severely limiting the circulation of Palestinians, particularly in the Gaza Strip, where refugees are the majority of the population. Israel continued its policy of closure of crossing points and the imposition of physical barriers on the roads used by Palestinians, as well as of restriction of movement of people and goods, including food and medicines. The prohibition to the entrance of building materials has hindered the reconstruction of schools by the Agency in Gaza, bringing about negative consequences on the lives Palestinian children, who are over half of the refugees in Gaza.

The reconstruction work in Gaza after the war has not begun due to the denial of the Israeli government. Cuba condemns such aggressive policy, which disregards reiterated calls of the international community and successive resolutions adopted by different United Nations bodies, in sheer violation of International Law.

Israel must stop its policy of closures in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. This situation continues causing serious socio-economic damages to the Palestinian population.

Mr. Chairman,

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East has to carry out its works in extremely hard conditions.

Israeli authorities continue to impose unacceptable restrictions, in sheer violation of the Charter of the United Nations and other International Conventions, on the freedom of circulation of the Agency’s personnel, goods and vehicles, which have undermined its capacity to exercise its functions and have caused it substantial monetary losses.

Moreover, Israel continues to demand the Agency to pay tolls for their supplies passing to the Gaza Strip and continues without refunding the outstanding port taxes.

Cuba reiterates the importance that this Agency receives all the necessary support and guarantees to carry out its functions. It is unacceptable that Israel continues to violate international agreements on the protection to UN premises and international Conventions and Agreements on the protection and security of the UNRWA personnel.

The financial situation the Agency is currently facing is alarming. Financing gaps affect not only the Agency’s ability to fulfill its mandate to provide relief and protection, but also endanger the organizational development process being carried out by the UNRWA in order to strengthen its ability to provide more efficient services to the Palestinian refugees.

In this respect, Cuba urges the donor community to honor their pledges, taking into consideration that these financing gaps prevent the UNRWA from performing its duties, and aggravate the living conditions of Palestinian refugees.

I would like to conclude, Mr. Chairman, by reiterating that Cuba will continue to strongly support the struggle of the Palestinian people for its inalienable right to self-determination and to establish their independent and sovereign State, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

 

Thank you.