TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani has reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s support for the Palestinian cause, urging the world to stand up to the inhumane policies adopted by the Israeli regime.

“On the occasion of the International Day of solidarity with the Palestinian people, I would like to express, on behalf of the People and Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, our strong and everlasting support for the Palestinian people in the achievement of their legitimate aspirations,” Rouhani stated.

He made the remarks in a message to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

“November 29th marks more than seven decades of the Zionist regime’s occupation of Palestinian land, and more than seven decades of continued suffering, subjugation and injustice against the oppressed Palestinian people,” he said, according to IRNA.

“Over the course of this occupation, we have witnessed the intensification of the aggressive and racist policies as well as organized crimes of this regime against the Palestinian people that occur on a daily basis, including through the implementation of annexation plan, the killing of innocent Palestinian people, the continuation of anti-human rights sanctions against the people of Gaza in the time of the coronavirus pandemic and their deprivation from accessing minimum basic medical requirements and health assistance,” the president added.

He named the existence of more than five million Palestinian refugees, the expansion of occupation through new settlement activities in the West Bank and Al-Quds-al-Sharif, the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians and the cruel blockade on Gaza as some of the tragic consequences of the occupation of Palestine.

In this regard, Rouhani continued, extensive measures taken by the Zionist regime in Judaizing al-Quds-al-Sharif, changing its demographic and geographical nature, supporting the Zionist extremists in violating the rights of Palestinians are all actions that occur at a time when illegal settlement expansion and forcible eviction of non-Jewish people have already endangered the situation in the region.

“In fact, such an approach aims at Judaizing al-Quds-al Sharif and destroying all of its historical and Islamic characteristics, with the goal to fully occupy Palestinian lands in order to prevent Palestinians from returning to their homeland which once again reveals the racially-charged intentions of this regime in occupying even more Palestinian territories and ignoring their inalienable rights,” he noted.

The president also explained that the Islamic Republic of Iran believes these measures not only drastically deteriorate the situation in the occupied territories, but also have grave regional and international security consequences.

“Unfortunately, all of these actions take place while the international community has not taken any effective measures to end this tragedy and restore the rights of defenseless Palestine people,” he lamented.

Rouhani argued that due to the support provided by a few members of the Security Council, the Zionist regime has actually increased its inhumane actions against the Palestinians.

He warned that by adopting such aggressive actions and policies in the Middle East, especially in Syria and Lebanon, and advancing a secret production of weapons of mass destruction, the Israeli regime has seriously endangered peace and stability in the whole region.

“Emphasizing its continued full support for the humanitarian and emancipatory ideal of the Palestinian people, and for honoring their admirable and legitimate resistance against the Zionist regime’s aggression and occupation, the Islamic Republic of Iran urges the international community to take action against such illegal measures taken by the child-killer regime of Israel which flagrantly violates human rights as well as the resolutions of the United Nations,” he stated.

According to the president, Iran condemns the recent killing of Palestinians in Zionist regime's custody and the torture of its prisoners, especially the women and children in its captivity, as well as the annexation and continued siege of the Gaza Strip.

He added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the need for immediate and urgent actions by the international community including the Islamic countries in order to end this brutal siege. It is our firm belief that a just solution for the issue of Palestine cannot be achieved through the normalization of relations with the Israeli regime.”

Rouhani proposed that such a solution can be achieved by enhancing unity among Islamic countries as well as the international community while taking decisive measures against the aggressive and inhuman policies of the Israeli regime.

Pointing to the normalization agreements between Israel and certain regional countries, he said such “artificial agreements” are considered a betrayal to the Palestinian cause and are condemned by Iran and all Palestinians.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is of the view that the termination of the long-lasting conflicts in the Middle East and the establishment of a durable and just peace in the region are only possible through the settlement of the Palestine question, ending the occupation of all occupied territories, restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, return of all Palestine refugees to their homeland and establishment of a unified Palestinian State with al-Quds-al-Sharif as its Capital by holding a referendum with the participation of all Palestinians,” Rouhani said.

“While expressing its full solidarity with the Palestinian people, the Islamic Republic of Iran once again emphasizes the important responsibility of the international community, in particular the United Nations, to put an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territory and help Palestinians to achieve their inalienable and fundamental rights,” he concluded.

MH/PA