Today, the UN Security Council held its quarterly open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. In the almost 13 months since the start of the war in Gaza, the region is on the brink of yet another escalation. Slovenia repeated its call for an immediate ceasefire and called on the Council to do more to end this war.

“As the situation is becoming more extreme, our opposition to violations of international law must become stronger. Silence is assent. Therefore, we cannot allow ourselves to accept a numbing effect of the scale of violations,” underlined Ambassador Žbogar, urging respect for international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law.

Slovenia is horrified by the level of death, injury, destruction and suffering in northern Gaza as well as alarmed by the situation in the West Bank, including settlement policies, demolitions and restrictions. The Ambassador called for scaling up humanitarian assistance and unimpeded access to the UN and humanitarian organizations. Slovenia reminded that collective punishment and starvation are prohibited as a method of warfare, and rejected forced displacement.

Furthermore, Slovenia condemned the passing of legislation on UNRWA in the Knesset. UNRWA is the backbone of humanitarian response in Gaza and a lifeline for Palestinian refugees, which has been reaffirmed in shared commitments on UNRWA, garnering support of 123 signatories, including all members of the Security Council. The implementation of bills banning UNRWA would have a severe impact on the Agency’s operations.

As suffering in Gaza is deepening, it is more critical than ever to take immediate steps towards a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. Slovenia supports all efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution that in the long run can only be achieved through the two-state solution.

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