UAE participates in meeting on human rights in occupied Arab territories

As part of the public debate on human rights on Palestine and the occupied Arab territories, Ambassador Obaid Salem Al Zaabi, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations, UN, and Other International Organisations in Geneva, delivered the UAE's speech at the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council on the abuses suffered by the local residents of these territories.

At the start of his speech, Al Zaabi expressed the UAE's concern over the absence of any update on the human rights situation in the occupied territories and again revealed to the world the daily violations and abuses suffered by Palestinians, especially as some council members seek to boycott and drop Agenda Item 7.

Al Zaabi stressed that the council's silence towards the violations taking place in Palestine will encourage the occupier, Israel, to continue its acts of aggression, referring to its recent decision to annex land in the occupied West Bank and the Golan Heights.

The UAE envoy also pointed out that Israel is continuing its illegal policies in jewdising Jerusalem and expanding its settlements at the expense of the indigenous Palestinian people.

Al Zaabi then drew the attention of the Human Rights Council to the difficult situation faced by Palestinians, due to harassment by Israel.

He also reminded the council about the assistance provided by the UAE in 2017 and 2018 to the Palestinian people and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA, worth over US$364 million while urging the international community to intensify the urgent relief operations for the Palestinian people.

Al Zaabi reiterated the UAE's support for the Middle East Peace Process, which aims to achieve security and stability in the region, adding that UAE has joined many related international and regional efforts, including the Arab Peace Initiative, which aims to end Israel’s occupation and establish a sovereign Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem.

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