Former Irish President Delivers Keynote Address at UN Conference on Israel-Palestine [View all]

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"Former Irish President and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson delivers a searing keynote address at the United Nations high-level conference on the Israel-Palestine conflict, hosted by France and Saudi Arabia in New York. Speaking on behalf of The Elders, the independent group founded by Nelson Mandela, Robinson condemns the atrocities in Gaza, Israel’s illegal occupation, and the international community’s failure to act.

This is one of the most forceful and morally urgent speeches delivered at the UN in recent memory..."


A portion of the transcript ... 11:39 minutes


". The level of human suffering
0:53
and destruction is unconscionable.
0:57
Occupation and violence have reached new
0:59
depths of inhumity over the past two
1:01
years. from the horrific Hamas attacks
1:05
of the 7th of October 2023 and the
1:08
taking of Israeli hostages to Israel's
1:11
collective punishment of Palestinians in
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Gaza, including indiscriminate
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bombardments, repeated mass
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displacement, and the use of starvation
1:20
as a weapon of war.
1:23
International norms and standards are
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being abandoned and openly scorned. This
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conference must be a turning point
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towards a different future.
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As political decision makers, you have
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the power and responsibility to compel a
1:41
change of course. It's time for
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collective action, starting with
1:46
recognition of the state of Palestine as
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a transformative step that should be
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taken now.
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Why now?
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Because the dehumanizing of the
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Palestinians by the extremist government
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of Israel has reached a critical point.
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Let us recall that Prime Minister
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Netanyahu telephoned Pope Leo to
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apologize for the injury to Father
2:14
Gabriel Ramanelli when the Catholic
2:16
Church was bombed in Gaza.
2:19
Prime Minister Netanyahu has not
2:21
apologized for the more than 17,000
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children killed in Gaza or the many more
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children left without limbs and without
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family members. He has not apologized
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for all the children of Gaza who have
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been traumatized by this totally
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disproportionate war and are now hungry
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to the point of starvation.
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No apology has been deemed necessary
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because the children of Gaza
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have become dehumanized by this Israeli
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government.
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I welcome President Macron's
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announcement that France will recognize
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Palestine."