De-escalation in the Middle East Requires Ending Zionist Crimes in Gaza (Bendjama)

Any initiative aimed at preventing an escalation of tensions in the Middle East must begin with an end to Zionist crimes in Gaza, asserted Amar Bendjama, Algeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, during a speech on Wednesday in New York.

“Any effort to reduce tensions in the Middle East should start with halting the brutal attacks by Zionists against Gaza. We must advocate for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” Bendjama emphasized at a Security Council meeting focused on the situation in the region.

While condemning the ongoing Zionist aggression against Lebanon, the Algerian representative underscored the importance of not losing sight of the crimes committed in the Gaza Strip over the past year. “We must avoid escalating tensions in Lebanon and ensure that these tensions do not distract us from the tragedy unfolding in Gaza,” he cautioned. “It seems that some have become indifferent to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza,” he lamented.

He reiterated that peace in the Middle East fundamentally requires “the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” along with the complete withdrawal of Zionist forces from occupied Arab territories in Lebanon and Syria.

Regarding Lebanon, the ambassador highlighted that the Zionist entity has “flagrantly” violated international law and humanitarian principles by targeting civilians, destroying telecommunications infrastructure, and conducting ground invasions into Lebanese territory.

The Zionist entity “is responsible for the deaths of over a thousand individuals, including 87 children and 56 women,” he stated, adding that the aggression against Lebanon has resulted in the displacement of one million people. “This represents the largest exodus this country has ever witnessed,” he asserted.

For Algeria’s representative to the UN, the Security Council’s failure to act has effectively given the Zionist entity a “free pass” to attack Lebanon while continuing its atrocities in Gaza. “How much longer will the international community remain powerless in the face of the defiance exhibited by the Zionist entity? How long will we neglect the full implementation of Resolution 1701 of the Security Council concerning Lebanon, particularly with respect to the withdrawal of the Zionist entity from Lebanese territory?” he questioned.

“The Middle East urgently needs concerted actions from us to achieve a sustainable resolution to this crisis,” he declared.

Additionally, Bendjama expressed Algeria’s solidarity with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who was declared persona non grata by the Zionist entity on Tuesday. He remarked that this decision is “incredible” and demonstrates that the Zionist entity “has no respect for the UN or the international community.”