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No place for Palestinians except their own land: Iraqi PM from Cairo

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Oct 2023 02:20
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The Iraqi PM calls for an end to the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the opening of border crossings to allow humanitarian aid.

Journalists watch a giant screen showing Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani addressing the "International Peace Summit" hosted by the Egyptian President in the New Administrative Capital (NAC), about 45 kilometers east of Cairo, on October 21, 2023. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani affirmed on Saturday that Baghdad strongly opposes any efforts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip, expressing Iraq's readiness to offer immediate support as needed, the Iraqi News Agency reported citing the media office of the Prime Minister.

During the so-called "Cairo Summit for Peace," Al-Sudani stressed that the Palestinian people "are facing genocide and a grave humanitarian crisis with the targeting of civilians in residential areas, places of worship, and healthcare facilities."

He pointed out that "the recent tragedy of the massacre at the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital exposed the true nature of the Zionist occupation, revealing actions that have crossed all red lines."

"The ongoing events represent a clear and heinous war crime, commencing with the killing of unarmed individuals and the imposition of a suffocating blockade on those who remain among the living," the Iraqi premier expressed.

He continued, "Words cannot adequately describe the horrific acts and daily massacres, with innocent lives buried beneath the debris of their homes on the very land from which they were originally displaced during the Nakba of 1948."

According to al-Sudani, "The situation in Gaza presents a fresh challenge and a test to the international community, which has repeatedly fallen short in realizing the principles of humanity, justice, and freedom it advocates. Palestine stands as a living testament to this recurring failure."

The Iraqi Prime Minister underlined that "the time has come to stop this oppressive occupation and bring an end to the enduring suffering of the Palestinian people," adding that the "Zionist entity persists in its transgressions against international laws, including those pertaining to warfare."

He mentioned that "this will impact global security, escalate regional conflict, jeopardize energy supplies, exacerbate economic crises, and invite further conflicts."

Al-Sudani said that Israeli occupation forces "consistently breached the III Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War and the IV Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War."

He added that "the Zionist entity persistently disregards the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and over 78 Security Council resolutions regarding the Palestinian conflict."

"If international resolutions were upheld and international bodies fulfilled their responsibilities, the Palestinian situation would not have deteriorated to its current tragic state," he indicated, underscoring that "resettlement, refugee camps, and displacement have no place in the talks regarding the Palestinians; No place for the Palestinians except their own land."

Al-Sudani emphasized "the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the opening of border crossings to allow humanitarian aid and relief supplies, and the subsequent efforts to facilitate a safe and inclusive exchange of prisoners and detainees."

He added, "Efforts should focus on the complete lifting of the Gaza Strip's siege to prevent any recurrence of this tragedy," calling for "the creation of a fund to aid in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and Iraq stands ready to provide any available assistance without delay."

Elsewhere, the Iraqi Prime Minister stressed that "no one has the right to negotiate, or make decisions on behalf of the Palestinian people, who are the rightful guardians of their land."

Five United Nations agencies, on Saturday, announced that the situation in the Gaza Strip has been "catastrophic" as they urged for further international assistance given the deteriorating conditions across the Strip.

"More than 1.6 million people in Gaza are in critical need of humanitarian aid," said the statement from the agencies, adding that "children, pregnant women, and the elderly remain the most vulnerable."

It is noteworthy that on Saturday, the Rafah border crossing was opened to allow the first trucks carrying humanitarian aid, which amount to 20, to Gaza from Egypt. Among the aid supplies were medical supplies and other things not specified yet.

Gaza needs a hundred truckloads per day to meet the needs of forcibly displaced people, Adnan Abu Hasna, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) spokesperson, told Al Mayadeen.

Since the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Iraq and its people, along with their religious authorities and resistance, have expressed support for Gaza and condemned the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

Iraqis took to the streets and also gathered at the Jordanian border to protest the Israeli occupation's massacres against Palestinian civilians, including the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital massacre.

This comes as the Israeli occupation continues its brutal aggression and massacres for the 15th consecutive day, killing more than 4,300 Gazans, including 1,756 children and 967 women, along with 13,561 injuries.