Oman urges accountability for Israeli settlements

GENEVA: The Sultanate of Oman stressed the importance of identifying responsibilities and enhancing oversight and accountability on activities related to illegal settlements.

The statement was made at the general debate under Item 7 of the agenda of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council concerning the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.

The statement was delivered by Idris bin Abdulrahman al Khanjari, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations and Other International Organisations in Geneva. He expressed the Sultanate of Oman’s deep concern over the continued humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip, the devastation and displacement caused by the war, and the escalating humanitarian needs that require an urgent and sustained international response.

The Sultanate of Oman’s statement also addressed the escalating settlement activity, incursions, settler violence, land confiscation, and forced displacement in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The Sultanate of Oman stressed the importance of accountability for illegal activities supporting settlements. It expressed condemnation for the continued occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights and the recent Israeli incursions and attacks in Syria, stressing the need to respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to adhere to the rules of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

In its statement, the Sultanate of Oman explained that the scale of the violations and challenges facing the Palestinian people necessitates an international stance that goes beyond condemnation to taking practical and effective steps to ensure accountability. It clarified that sustainable peace cannot be achieved in the presence of impunity, and that the rules of international law should not be applied selectively.

The Sultanate of Oman stated that respect for human rights would not be complete merely by condemning violations, but requires ensuring accountability for them and enforcing the law on everyone without exception. This strengthens the protection of human rights, consolidates the rule of law, and preserves the credibility of the international legal system.

In its statement, Sultanate of Oman renewed its call to the international community to assume its responsibilities and take action to protect the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, leading to a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause to ensure the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of their independent and sovereign state, in accordance with international law and the United Nations resolutions.