Iran strongly condemns Israel attacks on Gaza

By Abbas Navazani | Oct. 19, 2023

Abbas Navazani, Islamic Republic of Iran Ambassador to Zimbabwe

The situation that prevails in occupied Palestine today is both a clear example of regional and international de-securitisation, and a clear manifestation of war crimes and genocide.

The issue of Palestine, that is the Seven-decade long occupation of the land of an ancient people, the displacement of the majority of its native inhabitants, and the suppression and humiliation of the population still living in Gaza and the West Bank, is not a Palestinian-Israeli issue, nor is it an Arab-Israeli issue or even a Muslim-Israeli issue.

The issue of Palestine is one of humanity and the entire international community, and therefore, all states and each and every person bears a responsibility for putting an end into this inhumane and shameful situation.

What is happening in the occupied Palestine, and especially in Gaza, constitutes a source of deep concern, regret and shame for the human kind. The atrocities that are taking place are double injustice to a nation that has already been subjected to brutal occupation for 75 long years and has been deprived of all human rights and human dignity.

No conscientious soul and no responsible government may remain indifferent to the heinous atrocities that are being perpetrated and the very dangerous effects and consequences that this situation may carry on to regional and global peace and security. For more than Seven decades now, a proud people has been deprived of its right to self-determination and other fundamental human rights while its land and home have been under occupation.

During these seven decades, without the slightest regard for the laws and norms of international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights, and with the full backing and support of the United States of America, which has immunised the regime against any form of accountability and punishment, the occupying Zionist regime has committed the most heinous of war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of genocide against the oppressed people of Palestine. The continuous usurpation of the lands of the original inhabitants of that region and the expansion of Zionist settlements, massacre, destruction of people's houses and farms and environmental damage, arrest and torture of men and women and even children, humiliation and insult to the dignity of the Palestinian nation, repeated desecration of holy premises of Islam, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, are but only a part of the atrocities committed by the occupying regime against the Palestinian people.

The unconditional support of the collective West, especially the United States of America, to the occupying regime and the deplorable disregard for the occupation's aggression against the Palestinian people are among the main factors that feed into the regime's brazen audacity to continue its aggression and flagrant violations of international law. The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran on supporting the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination is clear and principled.

Our position is a humanitarian-moral position premised on the rules of international law and the United Nations Charter. The right to self-determination and respect for the fundamental rights of people under occupation are rudimentary rules of international law, which are explicitly recognised in the United Nations Charter and which constitute one of the established foundations of modern international law and relations.

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The right of self-defence and strive for serving and restoring the right to self-determination are interdependent. The resistance of the Palestinian people in the face of occupation, the gross and continual violation of their human rights, and the desecration of the sanctities of the Muslim world by the occupying regime amount, in the true sense of the word, to their ‘legitimate and lawful defence’ against oppression and aggression.

The right to legitimate defence is an inherent right that is clearly recognised in the United Nations Charter and in international law. The Palestinian nation, as a nation that has been unjustly deprived of the fundamental right to determine its own destiny and a nation which is exposed to attacks and violations of human rights and human dignity at every moment, does undoubtedly have the right to defend itself and resist occupation and aggression.

This is a right to exercise which the Palestinian nation is needless of obtaining permission or order from any other party; rather, in full independence and maturity, a product of Eight decades of struggle and endurance of the direst of hardships, the Palestinian people will decide, as they have thus far decided, about when, where, and how of their defence as they see fit. Misleading projections do not change the fact that Al-Aqsa Storm operation symbolised the spontaneous and natural movement of the Palestinian people to defend their inherent rights and human dignity and was an inevitable reaction to the occupation's endless cruelty and aggression levelled against the innocent people of Palestine.

The crimes being committed by the occupying regime against the Palestinian people can by no means be justified. Attempting to justify Israel's crimes under the principle of self-defence is utterly rejected, be it from an international legal lense or from an ethical perspective. The principle of ‘self-defence’ cannot be legally invoked in the framework of the equation between the occupying party and the people under occupation. According to international law, the occupying party has specific duties to protect and support the people under occupation; hence, it cannot be that they commit to mass killings of the people and destruction of their property.

The occupying regime has shown that its survival depends on the perpetuity of insecurity and its expansion. Restraint and responsible behaviour and compliance with the rules and principles of international law cannot be expected of such an entity; nevertheless, its supporters are expected to fulfil their responsibilities and contain the regime.

As an absolute supporter of the regime, one may not unquestioningly approve of the regime's actions or acquiesce in them and expect no action in self-defence from others in return. The supporters of the regime are actually spurring this regime to carry on committing atrocities and encouraging it to spread insecurity. Therefore, they need reconsider their approach soonest possible.

No responsible actor welcomes instability and insecurity in the region. Ours and regional countries’ logical expectation is for the supporters of the Zionist regime to prevent the regime from carrying on its atrocities sooner rather than later. This is the only possible solution to avert the extension and contagion of crises to the wider region and beyond.

Unfortunately, we are still in a stage of expansion and deterioration of the situation and there is no determination or will to prevent the killing and bombing of the Palestinian people and avert a disaster with global dimensions. The Zionist regime is still committing massacres and genocide in Gaza, and with the occupation's entry into Gaza, developments will enter a decisive and irreversible stage. Prevention of this situation should be the priority of the world community. The silence and inaction of the international community against the "madness" of the Zionist regime will leave destructive and regrettable results.

The regime's irresponsible and destructive behaviour in dealing with the Palestinian nation has enraged the Resistance Movement and nations and no mechanism can afford to disrupt the decisions of the Resistance. The shrapnel that ricochet from the bombardments of Gaza, will surely explode the powder keg of the wrath of the regional nations. Apparent as it is, the Resistance Movement has discretion and authority and acts independently. I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in this tragedy.