Statement by Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar at the briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Representative of Slovenia.

First, I want to thank Ms. Kaag and Mr. Moreira da Silva for their work and their briefings today.

Colleagues,

Today, I’ll focus on political will or lack of it. Both briefers spoke about it and so did several members of the Council.

Ms. Kaag, you concluded your July briefing underlining that there is no substitute for political will and that there is no substitute for the full respect of international humanitarian law. And actually today you, as well as Mr. da Silva, you repeated, that mechanisms cannot substitute for a lack of political will.

And indeed, today’s briefing and the humanitarian catastrophe on the ground unfortunately continue to confirm that both have been in very short supply during the whole duration of this miserable and sad conflict. It proves that nothing can replace the absence of political will of Israel to ease, or help ease suffering of civilians in Gaza.

In December 2023, this Council showed strong political will to alleviate humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. It passed resolution 2720, which mandated a mechanism and a senior coordinator with a focus on humanitarian aid and reconstruction of Gaza. Nine months later, the mechanism is operational, the coordinator has been committed, yet the main purpose of the resolution — the delivery of humanitarian aid at scale — has not been achieved. For lack of political will and disrespect of the international humanitarian law.

Corridors have been established and additional crossings opened, yet some largely or completely non-operational, including Rafah. Obstacles, uncertainty and unpredictability keep dictating delivery of aid. In Gaza, challenges continue to mount: from attacks of deconflicted shelters and convoys, evacuation orders, food insecurity, diseases, breakdown of law and order, to destruction of basic infrastructure. We condemn recent incidents, including the attack on UNRWA school-turned-shelter.

We have to end this sense of impunity for the lack of respect of the international humanitarian law. As if civilians can be subjected to killing, maiming, bombing, torturing, displacement, starvation, under the eyes of the international community and the Security Council. This is unacceptable.

There have been few glimmers of hope. We welcome medical evacuations which took place last week, and the first round of the polio vaccination campaign which was carried out by WHO, UNICEF and UNRWA with Israel’s support. When there is political will, civilian population can be protected and can be taken care of.

This war has passed the limits of the conceivable, of human suffering and of the international order we trust. Yet, over three months since the adoption of resolution 2735, we see absence of political will to implement it and to finalize the ceasefire deal. What is growing, I sense, is the political will in the Council to do more to ensure a ceasefire is implemented.

We are approaching 7 of October, a year of this tragic conflict. This is not an opportunity, but a duty for the Security Council to show not only political will but determination to help end it.

It is time for the Security Council to ensure compliance with its resolutions.

The way forward for us is a cascading approach: (1) to exert pressure to ensure ceasefire that holds, (2) a rebuilding of life in Gaza, from security, restarting education, health and social services to garbage collection (3) an immediate start of the time-bound political process and implementation of the two-state solution and (4) reconstruction of Gaza – which will unfortunately present a long term project. The Palestinian Government should be at the center of these efforts and plans.

Political will of the international community to rebuild Gaza can only happen in parallel with the political will of Israel to engage in a political process leading to its security and mutual recognition. No other solutions of the situation in Palestine would be acceptable for the international community.

Thank you.

I resume my function as the President of the Council.

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