Excellencies,
The true foundation of recovery in Gaza will be more than concrete and steel.
It will be dignity, self-determination and security.
This means staying true to the bedrock of international law.
It means rejecting any form of ethnic cleansing.
And it means forging a political solution.
There is no sustainable future for Gaza that is not part of a viable Palestinian State.
There can be no recovery without an end to the occupation.
No justice without accountability for violations of international law.
And no sustainable reconstruction without a clear and principled political horizon.
The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, to chart their own future, and to live on their land in freedom and security.
There must be irreversible steps now toward the realization of the two-State solution — before it’s too late.
The only path to lasting peace is one where two states — Israel and Palestine — live side-by-side in peace and security, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.
The United Nations stands with you in this essential effort.
Thank you.