First and foremost, however, we must urgently call on the Security Council to act now and make its voice heard to stop the carnage being perpetrated against our people, particularly now at this moment in the Gaza Strip. The Council must act on its responsibilities under the Charter to ensure respect by Israel, the occupying Power, including of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilians in Time of War in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. This is an urgent matter and is central to preserving international rules, norms and moral standards in all cases and to saving innocent civilian lives and preventing the collapse of this situation so as to salvage whatever slim chances for a just peace may remain. For this, it is urgent and imperative that the Palestinian people under Israel’s occupation be protected in accordance with the provisions of international humanitarian law.