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Turkiye leads campaign at the UN to stop supplying weapons to Israel

October 29, 2024 at 12:04 pm

The United Nations headquarters building is seen on the East Side of Manhattan,in New York City. [Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images]

A draft resolution that has been proposed by Turkiye and some Arab, Islamic and other friendly countries for adoption at the UN calls for the international organisation “to take immediate steps to stop the supply or transfer of arms, ammunition and related equipment to Israel,” Al-Quds Al-Arabi has reported.

Turkiye and the countries behind the initiative sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres; the President of the Security Council, Swiss Ambassador, Pascale Baeriswyl; and the President of the General Assembly, Philemon Yang, expressing their deep concern “about the unprecedented and escalating levels of violence and international law violations, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, in the Gaza Strip, as well as in the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East region.”

The signatories said that the heavy toll on civilians, “most of them children and women,” due to the ongoing violations of international law by Israel, the occupying power, for more than a year is intolerable. “We must act urgently to stop the immense human suffering and regional destabilisation that threatens to ignite a full-scale war in the region. All states must take immediate steps to uphold international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law. The protection of civilians, an immediate and lasting ceasefire, and maintaining international peace and security are of paramount importance.”

Turkiye and the states who signed the letter called collectively on UN members “to take immediate steps to cease the supply or transfer of arms, ammunition and related equipment to Israel, the occupying power, in all cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that they may be used in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, as stipulated in General Assembly resolution ES-10/24 of 18 September 2024.”

The letter, which will be distributed to all UN member states, also stressed that such immediate steps are necessary to end the illegal Israeli occupation, deter further violations against civilians in the Gaza Strip and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, as well as in Lebanon, and prevent further regional escalation. “We must urgently take decisive action to halt this dangerous trend, end impunity and ensure accountability for all violations, in line with obligations under international law, including the UN Charter, the Fourth Geneva Convention and other relevant treaties, as well as all relevant UN resolutions and the rulings of the International Court of Justice, including its advisory opinions and measures and binding temporary orders,” added the signatories.

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