BRUSSELS
Finnish president Alexander Stubb called for Israel to end his occupation of the Palestinian territories which began in 1967, arguing that Israel has no right to violate international law.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Stubb stressed the importance of maintaining sovereignty, human rights and fundamental principles consecrated in the Charter of the United Nations.
“Russia does not have the right to continue its aggression on Ukraine. Israel has no right to violate international law in Palestine. States do not have the right to use Sudanese or Congolese territories to combat proxy wars for their economic or strategic interests,” he said.
Stubb highlighted the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling for an immediate cease-fire, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid and the release of hostages.
He stressed that negotiations must ensure Israeli and Palestinian security while respecting the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians to the State and sovereignty, saying: “The occupation that started in 1967 must end, and all the problems of permanent status must be resolved.”
“Gaza civilians are experiencing immense suffering. The in-depth humanitarian crisis has reached unbearable levels and represents a failure of the international system,” he added.
The United Nations investigators recently concluded that Israel was committing a genocide in Gaza, where more than 65,000 people have been killed since October 2023.
Stubb has also called for UN Security Council reforms to strengthen the representation of the under-represented regions and to limit the veto of individual states, arguing that these changes are necessary to maintain the central role of the UN in the promotion of peace.
“The number of permanent members should be increased within the United Nations Security Council.
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