Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah on Sunday addressed the UN Security Council session on Palestine, held in New York, renewing the State of Kuwait strong condemnation of the crimes and attacks carried out by the "Israeli" occupation forces in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The State of Kuwait renews its utter denunciation of the crimes and offensives carried out by the Israeli occupation forces in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the city of Jerusalem. Moreover, Kuwait denounces all [Israel’s] illegal settlement schemes, its bids to seize Palestinians’ houses and properties, particularly citizens’ assets in Jerusalem, namely in Sheikh Jarrah district, seeking to evacuate the holy city of its population for sake of Judaizing it.

Such practices are illegal and illegitimate breaches and constitute flagrant violation of the relevant international resolutions and references that affirm that unilateral measures and decisions aimed at altering the legal and historic status in the occupied territories are invalid and false; they neither create a right nor a commitment. Sheikh Dr. Ahmad indicated how the occupation forces along with settlers mercilessly assaulted children and women to take over their properties.

Such policies and practices affirm once again that Israel is seeking to bolster the occupation and show that it has no desire to reach a full and just peace agreement, the Kuwaiti foreign minister noted. The attacks and crimes perpetrated by the occupation 'Israeli' forces are part of a chain of violations by Israel, the occupation-based power, of the Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 476, 478 and 2334, stipulating that sanctity of Jerusalem cannot be desecrated.

Eviction of residents of the district, Sheikh Jarrah, is a crime and breach of the international law. This case is subject to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, thus the occupation-based power must honor its obligations and maintain private properties in the occupied territories — that cannot be expropriated. He stated further, “We are at a dangerous crossroad that threaten to jeopardize any just and comprehensive solution to the central cause of the Arab and Muslim nations; we are facing rapid schemes including not only expansion of the illegal settlements or expropriating Palestinian lands and properties, but Judaizing East Jerusalem, namely the city old sector and evicting the Palestinian population.

“The State of Kuwait affirms once more its utter rejection of all the illegal settlement plans in the occupied Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem. These settlements are nonexistent according to the international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.” Kuwait has spared no effort to alleviate the hardships of the Palestinian people since starting of the latest 'Israeli' offensives, he said, noting its contacts and participation in meetings with stakeholders. He renewed Kuwait’s adherence to the Arab stance that affirms that peace is a strategic option, that the aspired settlement is based on the two states option, Security Council resolutions, the land for peace principle, the road map, and the Arab peace initiative — all designed to enable the Palestinians to establish their independence./ kuna