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By Mumtaz Hussain
NEW YORK: President of the United Nations General Assembly Philémon Yang has called for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and the release of all hostages immediately and unharmed.
He said diplomatic solutions must take precedence over brutal force. He stated this at the fourth committee’s second meeting at the General Assembly.
Since the last session, he added, conflicts around the world have spread and intensified, with tragic humanitarian consequences, from Gaza and Haiti to Lebanon, Sudan, and Ukraine.
The recent escalation of violence in the Middle East underscores the vital work of this committee.
“As I have said many times now, only a two-state solution, based on relevant UN resolutions, can guarantee lasting peace and security for both the people of Israel and Palestine, and indeed for the rest of the region.”
This committee plays a crucial role in supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East.
He was of the opinion that support was desperately needed as millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria continue to struggle in the harshest of circumstances.
The tasks ahead are of critical importance, as the Fourth Committee addresses some of the most pressing global challenges of our time.
These include decolonization, the review of peacekeeping and special political missions, and, increasingly, issues related to the exploration of outer space.
We must approach this work with clear, focused, and innovative solutions, building on the spirit of the pact for the future, he remarked.
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