The Maldives has called for the recognition of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state and for Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations.
Addressing the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly, Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef said the right to a sovereign future was being denied most severely in Palestine.
He said Israel’s actions in Gaza and across the region had violated the sovereignty of other states, and called for the conflict to end.
The Vice President said international law must be applied equally, regardless of a country’s power or political alliances.
He called for an end to what he described as Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the occupation of Palestine and other Arab lands, and illegal settlements.
He also called for humanitarian assistance to reach Palestinians safely, rapidly and at scale, and for the decisions of international courts and UN resolutions to be respected and implemented.
For Palestinians, he said, a sovereign future means freedom, dignity, self-determination and the right to live securely in their own state.
The Vice President reiterated the Maldives’ call for recognition of an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He also said that if the United Nations is to restore trust and deliver for all, Palestine must become a full member of the organisation.
The Vice President said the principle of a sovereign future should apply to every state, regardless of its size or power.