Syria will spare no effort to support the Palestinian people’s struggle to restore its usurped lands and rights: Sabbagh

New York – Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations Bassam Sabbagh has stressed Syria’s firm support for the Palestinian People’s struggle to restore their occupied territories and all legitimate rights in accordance with international law and UN resolutions, reiterating that preserving the rights of the Palestinian refugees is a non-negotiable issue.

In a statement during UNRWA Pledging Conference, Sabbagh said that the Palestinian cause will continue to be Syria’s main national issue, as it has not and will not spare any effort to stand by the brotherly Palestinian people to restore their occupied lands and all legitimate rights, including the right to establish their independent state with Al-Quds as its capital. He added that Syria has also supported granting Palestine membership in the UN and restoring the Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their homeland in accordance with international law and all relevant UN resolutions, foremost of which is Resolution No. 194 of 1948.

During the past decades, Syria has provided all requirements of decent life for the Palestinians who sought refuge in the country and it hasn’t differentiated between them and the Syrian citizens, Sabbagh went on to say, pointing out that the Syrian government has spared no effort to provide assistance to The Palestinians in Syria, including in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Syria on February 6, 2023 and despite the difficult economic conditions it has gone through during the past decade as a result of the terrorist war and the coercive measures imposed by western countries.

Maintaining the mandate granted to UNRWA by the United Nations General Assembly is a lofty and collective responsibility, and preserving the Palestinians’ rights is non-negotiable, affirmed Sabbagh,  clarifying that the Palestinian refugees continue to consider UNRWA as an element and a proof of the international community’s commitment to the Palestinian people’s right to a decent life and a just and lasting solution to their plight, despite the increasing hostile campaigns against UNRWA with the aim of undermining these rights.

UNRWA Pledging Conference aims at increasing the countries’ support for UNRWA to help it overcome its chronic financial crisis. It is an opportunity to focus the attention on the agency’s contribution to human development and to the protection of Palestine refugees, Sabbagh said.

Hamda Mustafa