Reconsider Israel’s membership: Iravani to UN members

“The violation of international law including human and humanitarian right law that is repeated by Israel on numerous occasions, is a true threat to the international peace and security. We consider this situation as a systematic failure by the Israeli regime to meet its membership conditions at the United Nations,” Saeed Iravani said on Wednesday at the 10th Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

“We believe that Israel’s illegal acts should prompt all United Nations members to reconsider this regime’s membership in the United Nations, in accordance with Article 6 of the Charter,” added the Iranian envoy.

The following is the full text of Iravani’s speech at the UNGA special session.

Madam President,

Distinguished delegates,

Based on the General Debate held in the previous meeting of this Emergency Session and the adoption of the resolution on the Advisory Opinion of the ICJ issued last April, the international community expressed its clear demand to end the occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The obligation of the Israeli regime to end the occupation, as endorsed by the mentioned resolution, must include several main components: withdrawing military forces, terminating settlement activities, returning land and property to Palestinians, allowing them to return to their homeland, ending discrimination against them, making reparations for them, and holding all perpetrators accountable for atrocities and violence against Palestinians.

The provisions of the resolutions adopted in this assembly are clear and unequivocal; however, we have witnessed no positive change in Israeli apartheid policies and actions. This regime relentlessly continues violence against civilians, aggression, mass killing, mass displacement, mass detention, mass destruction, mass starvation, and other grave crimes that are being perpetrated with a savagery unseen in human history. In fact, this is the pattern of this regime’s behavior to intentionally disregard United Nations resolutions aiming to weaken the United Nations’ legitimacy.

Israel has clearly demonstrated non-compliance with UN resolutions, including the four resolutions adopted since October 2023 during this Emergency Special Session. These resolutions addressed the dire humanitarian needs of Palestine, requested an immediate ceasefire in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, demanded an end to the illegal occupation, and affirmed the inalienable right of Palestinians to self-determination.

It is critical to note that the Israeli occupation has been ongoing for a long time, a fact that the Israeli regime deliberately omits. Israel is not in a position to criticize the international community for objecting to and condemning the illegal and colonial policies operated by this regime. Since the illegal occupation of Palestine, Israeli forces have engaged in violent acts of aggression against the occupied territories, resulting in hundreds of thousands of civilian fatalities and injuries in past decades.

Considering the horrific and unfair invasions and bombardments against Palestinians, the brutality and inhumanity of this regime, stemming from its apartheid and genocidal policies, would be undeniable. In addition to crimes against Palestine, Israel has also tried to extend war, instability, and aggression to other territories in Syria, Lebanon, and my country, Iran. In this regard, while welcoming the reached ceasefire in Lebanon, Iran would like to point out the Israeli regime’s history of reneging on agreements and emphasize the need to continue calling on this regime to be bound by the ceasefire agreement and fully comply with United Nations resolutions, including Security Council resolution 1701.

We also strongly condemn any aggression and invasion by the Israeli occupying forces against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. Israel must be accountable for the repetitive aggression on Syrian territory, including the destruction of infrastructure and further occupations in the Syrian Golan which is committing in a violation of the Agreement on Disengagement between Israeli and Syrian Forces (1974). We highlight the undeniable duty of the UN Security Council to immediately react to these aggressions.

The violation of international law including human and humanitarian right law that is repeated by Israel on numerous occasions, is a true threat to international peace and security. We consider this situation as a systematic failure by the Israeli regime to meet its membership conditions at the United Nations.

We believe that Israel’s illegal acts should prompt all United Nations members to reconsider this regime’s membership in the United Nations, in accordance with Article 6 of the Charter. This helps to enforce the implementation of international resolutions and expedite the realization of Palestinians’ rights, including self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign state with full UN membership.

Madam President,

Distinguished colleagues,

In light of our first obligation under the UN Charter, we must take effective collective measures to remove this long-lasting threat to peace. It is high time for us, as United Nations members, to fulfill this obligation.

In spite of the fact that the Israeli authorities have committed a wide variety of crimes, they are enjoying total impunity. This impunity is perpetuated, among other things, by the unwavering support of certain states and the inaction of the Security Council, as evidenced by the US veto in November. This disgraceful veto not only highlighted the Security Council’s failure to uphold its Charter-based mandate but also served as a US-granted license for the occupying regime to continue its occupation and carnage in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. This impunity must be brought to an end. The Council must hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law and ensure the protection of civilians.

Accordingly, the arrest warrants issued by the ICC must mark a turning point, indicating the end of impunity and a beginning for accountability, upholding the rule of law, protecting civilians, and achieving justice for victims, as well as preventing further crimes.

I would like to conclude by stating that my delegation will vote in favor of the resolutions drafted in this regard, given the urgency of the humanitarian situation and the importance of an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. It is also necessary to expedite the establishment and activation of an international mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; however, our support for the resolutions does not affect our long-standing and consistent national position on the question of Palestine, which includes non-recognition of the Israeli regime.