Checked Against Delivery
Thank you, Madam President, and I thank Acting Special Coordinator Alakbarov for his briefing.
Over the past two years, as Denmark has served on the Council, the Middle East has been marked by prolonged periods of suffering and instability, including in the occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon, the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. As trade routes and supply lines are curtailed, the region’s conflicts increasingly affect other parts of the world too, where food insecurity and energy prices spike and hit the most vulnerable across the globe.
As we consider the pathways to peace in the Middle East today, we must strive towards breaking the cycle of violence, preventing further escalation and reaffirming our commitment to genuine political solutions to these conflicts.
Madam President,
One year ago, a ceasefire was finally reached in Gaza and endorsed by this Council. After two years of agony and pain, the remaining Israeli hostages were released. We all hoped that the ceasefire would mark a new beginning for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region.
One year later, that hope has yet to be realised.
In Gaza, while starvation has been halted, we remain far from realising the provisions set out in Resolution 2803, as we heard this morning from acting Special Coordinator Alakbarov.
We’ve heard it many times before. The humanitarian situation remains extremely dire. Water and sanitation systems are demolished, food and medical supplies are insufficient, and it will take decades to clear the rubble. Shelter is also insufficient for the majority of civilians in Gaza with winter steadily approaching, and as we heard many Palestinians are now back in tents. Israel is still not delivering on its obligation to allow and facilitate unhindered humanitarian access.
More progress is also needed on the disarmament of Hamas, Israel’s gradual withdrawal, the deployment of the International Stabilization Force, and NCAG assuming its responsibilities. If we saw the full implementation of Resolution 2803, real progress could be made. We call on all parties to urgently live up to their commitments in this resolution.
Madam President,
The situation in the West Bank has continued to dramatically deteriorate.
The reports are stark. Record numbers of settlements including the alarming E1 project, settlers terrorising Palestinian communities, demolition orders, movement restrictions and forced displacement. These developments, if left unchecked, will ultimately render the two-state solution impossible, undermining the possibility of lasting peace for both Palestinians and Israelis.
For Denmark, it is clear that the course must change. Urgently. Israel must halt all settlement projects, ensure accountability for settler violence and release withheld Palestinian clearance revenues.
At the same time, we deeply regret the Palestinian Authority’s postponement of scheduled elections. Acknowledging the challenges and limitations facing the Palestinian Authority, we urge the PA to organise new elections as soon as possible, while continuing to ensure more progress on necessary reforms.
Denmark has reiterated these calls many times in this chamber. We have done so because we genuinely believe that it is in the interest of both Israelis and Palestinians not to dismantle the path of lasting peace.
Madam President,
To achieve genuine peace across the Middle East, we also must address the spoilers in the region, including the destabilising role of Iran. Denmark calls on Iran to immediately cease attacks against countries in the region and refrain from any actions that undermine freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
In Yemen, Iran’s long-standing support to the Houthis has enabled their attacks and further undermined regional stability. We strongly condemn the Houthi attacks in Yemen and against Saudi-Arabia, including the terrible attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this past weekend.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah is significantly weakened, however one year after the fragile cessation of hostilities, conflict broke out again last March, causing humanitarian suffering and hardship on both sides of the Blue Line. The situation in the South remains highly unstable, with greater uncertainty on the horizon as a result of UNIFIL’s impending withdrawal, risking a dangerous security vacuum by the end of the year. We urge the Council to come together and reach consensus on a responsible way forward. We stress that Lebanon’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence must be restored and respected in line with resolution 1701, and urge all actors to implement the trilateral framework agreement, which marks a historical opportunity for achieving peace.
Finally, we have to protect progress where it exists. Since the fall of the Assad-regime in December 2024, Syria has made remarkable progress in rebuilding institutions and laying the foundations for economic recovery. However, much remains to be done, and the security situation within Syria remains fragile. External challenges also continue to threaten the country’s fragile transitional process. We call on Israel to withdraw from Syrian territory and to comply fully with its obligations under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.
Madam President, in closing.
We have before us a complex and interconnected regional picture. A region with so much potential and hope, yet so challenged by conflict and war.
Denmark remains firm in our commitment to peaceful solutions across the region. Solutions that respect the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of all countries in the region in line with the UN Charter.
Thank you.
