NEW YORK, April 18 (MENA) - Egypt's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Osama Abdel Khalek affirmed that recognizing the Palestinian state is an inherent right of the Palestinian people.

Ambassador Osama Abdel Khalek stated in his speech before the United Nations Security Council session held Thursday, under the title "The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Issue," that the continuation of the illegal and "criminal" war waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip for more than 6 months, resulting in more than 32,000 martyrs, 75,000 injuries, and the death of more than 175 United Nations employees, along with Israel's continued disregard for the resolutions issued by the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, and the International Court of Justice, puts the credibility of this organization and the entire international peace and security system at stake.

He considered that the failure to stop the blatant war is a failure that is almost impossible to explain to any conscientious individual, whether from Arab and Islamic nations or from any peace-loving nations. He pointed out that the disregard for reason, justice, the principles of the United Nations Charter, and our legitimate demands, the foremost of which is the ceasefire, has led to the dire situation that the Middle East has reached.

Abdel Khalek warned that the Middle East has reached the brink of the abyss due to the escalating aggressive Israeli behavior stemming from a belief that it is above accountability and the law. Israel has been launching one attack after another on neighboring countries and even on diplomatic premises in a blatant violation of the rules of international law regarding the inviolability of diplomatic premises and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and Consular Relations. He pointed out that regional military escalation in the region will result in everyone losing, and the consequences will never be favorable.(MORE)
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