Statement from MINREX on Palestine

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Declaration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba reiterates its deep concern about the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine, which is a consequence of decades of Israeli illegal occupation and colonization practices, in flagrant violation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in its own territory, as well as the long-lasting disregard of the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations Charter and International Law, including numerous relevant UN resolutions.

The Ministry rejects, and has always rejected, the death of civilians and innocent persons of all the parties involved in this conflict, regardless of their ethnic origin, nationality or religious creed; and strongly condemns the killing of civilians, particularly women, children and humanitarian workers from the United Nations system; as well as the indiscriminate bombings against the population in Gaza and the destruction of houses, hospitals and civil infrastructure and the cutting off of water, power and fuel supplies to the population of Gaza, which are serious violations of International Humanitarian Law.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urgently calls for a ceasefire and the immediate delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Cuba calls for an end to the belligerent rhetoric and reaffirms its support to a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the creation of two States that would allow for the exercise of the right to free determination of the Palestinian people and the creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State on the basis of the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, that would equally ensure the right of return of refugees.

The United Nations Security Council should fulfill its mandate and put an end to the impunity of Israel, the Occupying Power, which the United States has historically been an accomplice of, for it has repeatedly obstructed and vetoed the actions of this body, thus undermining peace, security and regional stability.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls for pursuing a prompt and negotiated solution to stop this escalation of violence and its dire humanitarian consequences.