Foreign Secretary Speech at the High-Level Ministerial Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, UN
Foreign Secretary Speech at the High-Level Ministerial Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, UN
As the son of two Jewish refugees, I speak to this gathering as somebody with profound gratitude for the state of Israel for looking after my grandmother after the Second World War, after she lost her husband at the hands of the Nazis.
I speak as someone that, I think everyone in this room would agree, was appalled by the attacks of October the seventh by Hamas and the murder that they perpetrated.
But I can speak equally as somebody appalled by the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank.
There is only one route to security, freedom, and dignity for the Israelis and Palestinian people, and that is the two-state solution. But the truth is that we all now have belief in the two-state solution, but it is being destroyed by the facts on the ground. The latest being the E1 tender that took place in August of this year.
That is why the UK government, alongside France and Canada, following the fantastic example of countries like Ireland and Spain, the Netherlands, and Norway, took the decision to not only declare that the occupation of the territories was illegal, but to take action on the basis of our economic relationships with the illegal settlements: the banning of the import of goods, and the attempt to break off the supply lines of finance and construction to settlement expansion.
These are necessary steps, but they are not sufficient.
It is good that we acted with others.
It is important that we say that the work of the Palestinian Authority to provide a single legitimate Palestinian framework is important.
It is important that we say that Hamas will play no role in the future governments of Gaza, but it must decommission weapons and must irradicate terrorism.
It is important also that we support the U.S.-led 20-point plan.
But let us be absolutely honest in this room, that the biggest danger we face is in a year’s time, we are sitting here again talking about the importance of the two-state solution and the facts on the ground that only got worse.
So, what is it that we need to do?
I think there are two things that will make all the difference, and I think all of the countries in this room and those not in this room to consider this.
First of all, moral clarity about what is happening. If we are silent, if we avoid the truth, then we cannot hope to make progress.
And secondly, political pressure on the government of Israel. This is absolutely crucial to making a difference. I chaired with Jordan this morning a meeting about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The humanitarian situation in Gaza, the blocking of basic medical supplies, children dying waiting for operations, waiting for treatment, should shame us all. It should shame the whole international community, and indeed, I think it should shame members of the Israeli government, who are letting this happen.
So I appeal to everybody in this room. Let us think very, very hard about what we can do in the weeks and months ahead, so that we do not meet again in a year’s time with more suffering, more tragedy for the people of Gaza and the West Bank. Thank you, Council.