Defense Friends of the Charter: Israel Must Withdraw from  Occupied Arab Territories and Stop Genocide in Gaza

Caracas-(ST)- The countries of the Group of Friends in Defense of the United Nations Charter affirmed the necessity of the Israeli occupation’s withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories, including the Syrian Golan, and the necessity of stopping the genocidal war against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

At the conclusion of its work in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, with the participation of Syria, the second meeting of the group’s national coordinators adopted a political declaration in which the countries of the group affirmed their firm and complete commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, its principles and purposes to maintain and strengthen international peace and security.

The group stressed the necessity of “Israel’s” withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories, including the Syrian Golan, and the implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions, most notably Resolutions 242 and 338 and Resolution 497, which affirmed that the seizure of lands by force is not permissible in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, and that Israel’s imposition of its laws and jurisdiction in the occupied Syrian Golan is null and void and has no international legal effect.

The countries of the group also expressed their condemnation of Israel’s continued attempts to ignite the region through its repeated attacks on Syria, and condemned the Israeli aggression against the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

It  stressed the need for the occupying entity to adhere to Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian issue, and the need for the Security Council to reconsider the issue of granting Palestine full membership in the United Nations.

The group’s countries reiterated their rejection of coercive unilateral measures as a tool for political, economic and financial pressure against any country, especially developing countries.

Syria was represented at the meeting by  Ambassador Qusay Al-Dahhak, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, in addition to the Syrian ambassador to Venezuela, Kenan Zahreddine.

Hanan Shamout