Portugal Reaffirms Commitment to Two-State Solution and calls for Reconstruction of Gaza and Respect for International Law
Taking part in the United Nation Security Council (UNSC)’s Open Debate on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question, as it has consistently done since the start of the conflict in Gaza, Portugal welcomed the launch of Phase 2 of the Comprehensive Plan to End Gaza Conflict, stressing that the United Nations (UN) and all its Agencies, as well as international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), must continue to fulfil their roles in this new phase.
Besides reconstruction efforts, Portugal stressed the need for immediate relief in terms of decent housing and access to energy as the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains grievous, advocating for the full involvement of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the administration of the Strip in preparation for its return.
Furthermore, Portugal also expressed strong concern with developments in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and its Holy Sites, particularly settlement expansion, settler violence and attacks against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), most recently the demolition of its headquarters in East Jerusalem, all of which deemed illegal under International Law.
Portugal stressed that Phase 2 should create the conditions that will allow for the reconstruction of Gaza and the implementation of the Two State Solution, in line with the New York Declaration, recalling Portugal’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine last September.
Turning to the wider region, Portugal reiterated its principled positions on Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Libya, including the respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, namely by external actors.
Portugal concluded by reaffirming its staunch commitment to the rule of law and an international system with the UN at its the center, which fundaments the coherence and consistency of its positions across every file, including its support for a just and peaceful solution to the Palestinian Question, anchored on the relevant UN Resolutions.
