Bahrain calls for protecting Palestinian people

Geneva, Nov. 2 (BNA): In light of the Kingdom of Bahrain ‘s membership to the ILO's Board of Directors, the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the European Headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Dr. Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri, delivered a speech on behalf of the Arab countries in which he stressed the importance of the international community and organisations to take the necessary measures to protect the workers and people of Palestine and the occupied Arab territories. The ILO Governing Body discussed a report on the ILO's actions during the past period to implement a number of technical cooperation programmes, including a programme to provide the appropriate work needed and revitalise the economy in the occupied Arab territories. The Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain in Geneva expressed appreciation to the Arab countries for the efforts exerted by the organisation and the international community to provide financial resources for the Development Cooperation Portfolio and financial contributions from donors, in particular. He commended the generous contribution of the government of Kuwait, which continued to make an annual contribution of half a million dollars to support the Palestinian Decent Work Programme. Ambassador Bucheeri expressed his deep concern to the Arab countries about the negative effects of the occupation on the Palestinian economy and the associated outputs of the labour market and the livelihoods of Palestinians, which is due to the restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities on the movement of people and goods in the occupied territories, as well as the low possibility of achieving a peace agreement. He also added that the continued siege on the Gaza Strip has led to the drying up of the economy and the productive base. The Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain in Geneva also noted that in 2018, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured since the beginning of the return marches, which has had a severe impact on the health sector, expressing the negative impact on the Palestinian economy as a result of the suspension of the transfer of Israeli authorities to tax funds. The Permanent Representative, on behalf of the Arab countries, called on the ILO to redouble its efforts and services to alleviate the suffering of the workers and people of Palestine in the occupied Arab territories. He also stressed that Arab countries hold the Israeli authorities fully responsible for the lives of Palestinian workers and their human and material rights, and calls on international institutions, especially the International Labor Organization and human rights institutions concerned with the situation of workers to intervene to stop the ongoing crimes perpetrated by the Israeli occupation authorities and to hold those responsible perpetrators accountable. The Permanent Representative called on sponsored countries to fulfill their commitments to provide financial support for the revitalization, activation and promotion of the Palestinian Fund for Employment and Social Protection. In cooperation with Arab, regional and international donors to solve the problem of unemployment to revive the Palestinian economy and improve the standard of living. He called on the International Labor Organization (ILO) to intervene effectively to restore the rights of Palestinian workers to the occupation authorities since 1970, and to take all necessary measures to pay the wages and dues of Palestinian workers in accordance with the Paris Protocol signed in 1995 between the Palestinian and Israeli parties. The Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain stressed the commitment of the Kingdom of Bahrain to support and advocate the basic Arab issues, especially the Palestinian issue before international forums, the organization, he explained that the statement delivered by the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Board of Directors of the Organization comes within the framework of the role assigned by the Arab countries to the Kingdom of Bahrain as coordinator of the Arab group in the organization. It is noteworthy that the Kingdom of Bahrain participates in the Board of Directors of the International Labour Organization, which is held in Geneva from 28 October to 7 November 2019, as an original member, after being elected by the member states since 2017.