Explanation of vote by Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar at the meeting on The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question

Thank you very much, Mister President.

Today is an important day.

Most of all we hope it will signal an important day for the people of the Middle East. A day that will help silence the guns, stop the killing, free the hostages, as well as bring some calm to and clear the sky over Gaza. The day that marks the beginning of the end of pain and suffering of civilians.

This is a significant day for the elected members. We found our voice of an unifying force inside the Council. This is the reason why we are on the Council. We showed a leadership for peace.

And it is a good day for the whole Council as we aligned our efforts and decision with the calls coming from the UN General Assembly, the Secretary-General, from the humanitarian organizations and from the world public. We demonstrated that we can find unity for peace. A small step in rebuilding trust in the Council. Today’s resolution is just the beginning. We will need more of this unity for Gaza as well as for many other conflicts.

Slovenia is ready.

Mr President,

I don’t need, but I wish to thank my colleagues, the elected members, as we were in this together. This is Slovenia’s third month on the Council and we are looking forward to many more joint ventures together in search of peace.

I wanted to thank the permanent members, for giving us a chance, for having trust in the power of the E10 and for being patient during negotiations.

Mr President,

We delivered the strongest signal thus far: We demand an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan leading to lasting sustainable ceasefire. It is a call we have all been desperate to hear from the Council.

A short and focused resolution is a firm sign from the Council that this conflict must stop. It offers an opportunity for peace for Palestinians and an opportunity for diplomatic efforts, including those of Egypt, Qatar and the US to continue.

We express our appreciation for the commitment of the Secretary General, UN staff members on the ground, humanitarian coordinators as well as for the leadership of different UN agencies, humanitarian and health organizations, including UNRWA.

We recall the binding nature of the Security Council resolutions and call for swift implementation of this clear resolution, in particular with regards to the ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages and the urgent need for expansion of the flow of humanitarian aid. We also reiterate our call for full respect of international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law.

Thank you.

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