NAM calls on Israel to lift Gaza blockade

TEHRAN,Dec.3(MNA) – Iran and other members of the Non-Aligned Movement have called on Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza. NAM member states made the remarks in a statement that was read out by the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaee, before the General Assembly on November 29, which is International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people. Iran assumed the rotating presidency of NAM for a three-year term on August 30. Following are excerpts of the text of the statement: NAM reiterates its grave concern regarding the critical situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, as a result of Israel’s prolonged military occupation and illegal policies and practices. We condemn Israel’s ongoing military raids and attacks against the Palestinian civilian population; blockade of the Gaza Strip, settlement, colonization campaign involving, inter alia, land confiscations, construction, and expansion of settlements and “outposts”, transfer of hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers, construction of the wall, home demolitions, and imposition of severe movement restrictions and hundreds of checkpoints, detention and imprisonment of thousands of Palestinians, forced displacement of Palestinian civilians, reprisals against the civilian population and all other measures of collective punishment against the Palestinian people, which are the grave breaches of international law, including humanitarian and human rights law. NAM calls for accountability for the perpetration by the occupying power of war crimes in its latest military aggression against Gaza in order to end Israeli impunity and to realize justice for the victims. Moreover, while welcoming the ceasefire agreement that ended the Israeli military aggression in the Gaza Strip, the movement calls upon Israel, the occupying power, to promptly and unconditionally end its illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip and open all its crossing points with Gaza in accordance with its obligations under international law, Security Council resolution 1860 and all other relevant UN resolutions. NAM stresses the need for the international community to remain united in its demand that Israel must respect its legal obligations as an occupying power and cease forthwith all its violations. There is unanimous conviction that such respect is imperative for achieving the two-state solution through a mutually agreed solution based on the agreed principles and terms of reference, namely Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 425, 1397, 1515 and 1850, the Madrid terms of reference, including the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Road Map.