Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights SHOWCAS, Welcome to the Policy Human Joys. Welcome back to Policy and Right here and Pictures Media Radio. I'm your host, Michael Kloggs. In today's episode, we're going to hear well RA as it's put in its darkest days, it's darkest moment for the agency. In seventy five years October seventh, twenty twenty three, there were members of ARA who participated in the kidnapping of Israeli people and helped
the Hamas hold these people hostage. And for those few who actually did participate in the activity, they found their way into ANRA so that they could do harm to people. That that is actually shameful and there should be some accountability for such actions. But does that mean that the whole organization needs to be torn apart and labeled a
terrorist organization? Does it mean that all the work that they did to help the Palestinian refugees and all of the work that they have done to provide humanitarian efforts
to be thrown out out the door? That is a huge question, And yet we're watching it happen even as I'm putting together this podcast that the United Nations in the global community is discussing at this time how to take apart ANRA and in the services to the Palestinian people that are provided by this organization, and they have been been provided by this organization for a little more than seven decades.
So.
The one of the spokespeople for UNRA and leadership of UNRA, the Commissioner of General philipp Lazzarini, on November thirteenth said the objective campaign to delegitimateize the agency is to stop the Palestinian from refugee status, to undermine the and to bury once and for all the two state solution is the dismantling of UNRA a purely political.
Task.
Are the actions that they're taking only political or there are some legitimate reasons for putting an end to UNRA because it is legitimately a terrorist organization or are we calling it or trying to call it a terrorist organization for political gain and for colonial gain in the Middle East? Something to actually think about and and it's as the people, can we take some sort of action to get our governments to actually put forth money to help UNRA continue
their mission to the Palestinian people. The Palestinian refugees and provide humanitarian efforts to these sane people so that a two state solution can actually be found. That is a huge question and a and a burden for for for
the whole entire world. As we're watching what is going on in the Middle East, we're also gonna hear Uh claims that Iran is also attempting to to take over Lebanon by the Israelis in a conversation has had on the UN Security Council floor where the Palestinian ambassador Uh is asking for help for for the people and refugee status as well as humanitarian efforts, claiming that there are legitimate needs and that the Palestinian people themselves just simply
need need the help and deserve the help and deserve a safe place of to live on while the Israeli ambassador is claiming that they that they need to push forward, be allowed to push forward with the fight that they have started since October seventh, saying that there are legitimate enemies and need to push forward to push their enemies out out of their out of their way, so that
them as a country are out of harm's way. Then, coming back to Canada, we're gonna hear about a minister who had once made claims to be increate and he has changed his his ancestry, his rights to his ancestry, away from being indigenous. He has also been Minister Benzant was also asked to resign his position because of his
change in claims. While I think that if you're going to claim indigenous status that you should be very careful about doing so, at the same time that we can't allow the hunt for legitimacy in Indigenous rights to become
a witch hunt. That witch hunt could lead to other issues that would carry Canada down back down a road towards a new path or a new road towards UH possible genocide against the Indigenous people, which we've come so far forward with reconciliation, that we forming a witch hunt to find out who legitimately has UH Indigenous claims to the land who doesn't, to the point where where we are firing a minister who has or has not done anything, he's just following the stories that are passed down from
his family. We need to simply be careful with how we tread through the mire of discovering who has Indigenous rights to the land and how that is going to
be handled in the future. So why don't we start off and we're going to listen to UNRA hear with the UN developments in the UN Security Council, with Palestine and Israel taking the floor and making claims and giving speeches, and then we'll come back to Canada and hear about administure, Banzant and other issues that are happening here in Canada.
Everybody, thank you so much for coming. Of course, mister Philip Pleasarini, the Commissioner General of Honor, I.
Will speak to you.
He will make some brief remarks and then we'll be happy to take your questions. Please go ahead, mister Lasarini, just put your mic on.
Thank you, Thank you so much, and good afternoon. I think each time I meet you, I usually share I would say black or green information with you. Each time, I believe that we might have reached the worst the agency good experience. But I have to say that things have gone even more since the last time we meta.
Since the last time we meta, as you know, they have been the adoption of legislation in Israel aiming at this smantling the agency activities in the entire occupied Palestine territories meaning Gaza, meaning Easiers, meaning also the West Bank. So I have returned to the President of the General Assembly. I know that you have changed this letter. I briefed the General Assembly last week. I briefed today at the
Force Committee, and I reminded. I basically told them that we are experiencing the darkest moment for the agency in seventy five years. I think you are very familiar with the attack. The agency has been under attack against the staff. As of today, two hundred and forty three staff have been killed. The attack on the premises, the attack on the operation. But in addition of data, they have been in an aggressive campaign of disinformation, breaching out of a
donor capital to delegitimize the agency. And the latest development has been the adoption of the Knessed Bill.
Today.
In my briefing, I told the member of the Foster Committee that in fact, onwar is a casualty of this war led to no mistake. The intention to undermine the agency are politically motivated. They have nothing to do with breaches of neutrality. Breaches of neutralities are being handled seriously by the agency. I acknowledge that we are not operating in a zero risk environment, but we are operating with
a zero tolerance environment. In fact, I was also reminding the member of the first Committee today that ANOIR is a softer target for anyone who views its presence or its activities as a threat.
And this has also been the case.
Over the last few years with HAMASA, who has seen the agency has a threat through its education system, through the factor that we have promoted gender equality, through the factor that we have issued code of ectica for the staffer, or whenever, for example, the agency organized some camp bringing girls and boys together for art, music and sport, and this usually was done. This fight adverse reaction and quite regularly also one especially that comesen and its senior management.
We're also accused of colluding with the occupying power, the same way we hear that the agency is colluding or infiltrated by HAMAS. So this morning I wanted also to put to give to clean the record on this. I also reminded that you know and you heard it, I guess from many of my colleagues and also the spokesperson, there is no alternative to UNA in the context of the occupied perditioner territories. I keep being asked but why
is it that is irreplacable? Now, it is true that there is a tendency to bring down the discussion through what I would say and pure humaniturn lands. How many trucks are going into Gaza, and in fact the trucks being brought in by ON could be brought in by anyone else.
And this is true. There is absolutely no doubt.
You don't even need ON to operate in a large scale, complex, humitant crisis like Sudan for example. We are not present and we will not be present. But what makes us irrepressible? It's the nature to start the nature of our activities. We are providing education to hundreds of thousands of girls and boys. Will was today's school in Gaza is nothing else than the robin? If you get rid of an agency like ours, what will happen once we have a ceasefire?
Who will bring back the hundreds of thousands of girls and boys are currently living in the rubble into a learning environment. Only a functioning state can provide this education. I know that when it comes to primary health, the same question are being asked. We have such a footprint, such an experience, such a know how of the collectivities we are serving that today in Gaza, or at least before October seventh, eighty percent of the population dependent was
completely dependent on our primary healthcare. And even today we continue to provide sixteen thousand consultations a day millions of consumers.
Since the beginning of the war. There is not really anyone who will be realated to do this.
So hence, if on One cannot operate, that means the UN will not be able to operate and to provide.
These critical services.
And in that case, the only alternative and option is that the owners and the responsibility goes back to the occupying power, meaning that Israel will be responsible to provide these critical services. It's not only Gather which is at stake, but we have also the rest of the West Bank and is Jerusalem. Only in the West Bank, we have fifty thousand children in our school and we have about half a million people who are using our primary health services.
I also told Member Stata that today there is a very deep, deep, deep sense of anxiety, not only within the communities that we are serving, not knowing if the lifeline will still prevail, but we have also a deep anxiety among our staff. Starting with the seventeen thousand staffer that we have today in the West Bank in Gaza.
But in addition of.
Data, there is also an environment which is putting our staff even more at risk. I had there was this week a situation where there was a secretary operation taking place in northern West Bank. Secretary forces entered into a house all of suddenly realize that the female staff member
works for UNOIR. She was then interrogated, intimidated, forced to hand over the computer and provide access to the computer and to all the information in She was blindfolded, brought out of the house for six hours for interrogation because she was accused of working for a terrorist organization. And I'm afraid that much worse has to come if we
have this pervasive environment. Let me just end by telling you what and I think some of you heard it obviously, But to retreate my ask to the Member States, the first one is we have to make sure that these laws are not implemented. They have been indoorsed, they have been adopted. Now it's up to the government to decide if they will implement these snows and if they implement
this snows within which timeframe. Secondly, I believe that it is important that the question of a be addressed within a political framework.
Any transition leading or.
Any political passway, political passway leading to two state solution should delineate the role of an agency like ours being primarily providing education and health services until the day there is a lasting solution where we can properly hand over
this activity to empower the Palestinian institution. Thirdly, meanwhile, we need the political support and financial supporter, calling on member state make sure that you do not use the pretext of the law to delay the financial supporter to the agency. And as but not least, you heard me now a few times, by attacking UN, we attack the United Nations, we attack, we defy the General Assembly under Security Council.
And basically through this we are also further weakening the rule based order that we have inheritated after World War Two, and it's really time to deploy all our political and legal capital to prevent this to happen.
I think I will stop here and sorry if we're not sharing better news.
Thank you so much. Let's start. Let's start with the EADI.
Thank you very much on behalf of the United Nations Correspondence Association for doing this briefing mister Lazarini on Edith Letterer from the Associated Press. You said, just now and also to the Fourth Committee, that UN members need to use and I quote, all the legal and political tools at their disposal to ensure that the international rules based
order is upheld. Can you elaborate on that. Does this include to an international court or a national court to try to stop the implementation of the Israeli laws adopted by its parliament before they take effect?
Thank you, thank you, Yes, all possible avenues. Among the different avenues you have also the ICG, they can be a questioned being raised submitted about the legality of these laws, especially after the ICG has ruled out that the occupation is illegal and calling on Israel to put an end
to the occupation. So that's an avenue. But now also you know national national legislation which can also be We have seen for example months ago that a letter was sent by the US State Department and under the Defense Secretary to the Israeli referring to a national law and expecting that the situation in Gaza be improved and also calling for.
Not to be.
Not to be further the legitimize so the point I want to make here is that there are number of already existing tools which can be used and others avenue which still need to be pursued. And I know today that there are number of discussion among member states wondering what more needs to be undertaken.
I just follow up saying, obviously there isn't a lot of time. How far advanced are these talks? And do you expect any action in the coming weeks?
Well, I keep asking, I mean, you know, we had a we we have observed and witnessed an extraordinary mobilization recently, a number of condemnation outrage. We even had last week a statement from the fifteen member of the Secretary Council, which nowadays is rare, so it was definitely welcome. And my call is make sure that this outrage and these walls be now translated into action. So I would I wish to be clear, really, I am still hopeful that we will find a passway to prevent the slow to
be implemented. But by answering, Zaisha, I do not know to which extend it is just wishful thinking.
Thank you, Bisan, thank.
You very much.
Be sign up quick with our Jaziero Arabic. I have two quick questions. I mean, we have this legislation they can asset. But now in the US we have a new administration and a new composition in the US Congress, and Honora had been attacked by many Republican lawmakers in the past. How concerned are you with this new administration that further measures might be taken here in the US towards Honorable either in Congress or by the new administration itself.
And the second question is you mentioned that should be part of a political solution, a two state solution. I mean, how viable is a political and two state solution at this point in your opinion, especially with statements that we have heard in Israel about the annexation of the West Bank.
We just comment because I don't have a proper answer. I guess you know, we are in a new situation of just need. It's an understatement.
In every new situation we might see also new opportunities to which extend. Is it realistic to talk about a two state solution? For the time being, the two state solution remains. The international community and United Nations positioned about how to promote a solution on the Palestinan question in the region. We hear also that the new administration has made the promoting peace a priority in the region. When we talk about peace, we talk also about out normalization.
And when we talk about normalization, we also heard the true state solution remains an important condition for any lasting normalization. So if you put all this element together, I believe that would this be the pastway, that in this pastway would have certainly a positive role to play to make it happen if there.
Is a fearm and genuine desire.
Two to once for all address the Palestinian question, the second question what sorry, so it was? I answered, okay, yeah, okay, okay.
Let's go to Maggie the nat Hahmit.
Hello, mister Lazzarini, It's Margaret Bashir with Voice of America. We know courts move slowly, we know the international community moves slowly. As Edie said, you've got you know, less than three months now before this legislation is likely to go into effect. So what are your plans for operating in Gaza and the West Bank after that? I mean, do you think you can still work come January?
Could you have you.
Spoken to Egypt or Jordan about them giving you some access into those territories, or would it be completely out of the question for you to continue to operate once the legislation goes into effect.
The simple and short answer is we will be operating until the day we cannot operate anymore. So our determination is not to give into our mandate to deliver services, and we will deliver the services until we are forced to stop the services. When will it be, I hope never Now What will happen after the ninety days, I do not have a straight answer. I think very few
of us know. If we have a no contact police in a place like a gaza, that means we will not be able to deconflict or coordinate any of our movement. So it will make operation extraordinary challenging, but it will not prevent at least at the beginning, staff operating in a given shelter in a gaza to continue to provide a primary healthcare, for example. They might be prevented once stocks are completely and we are not able to bring back the stock, so there will not be normally a
clear cutting point. But after ninety days, what we hear for the time being in data that will put an end to the no contact policy, and question is how will the new contact policy be interpreted? What does it mean to start with is with international stuff? Can we still yes or not apply and get a visa? I don't have an answer for this as of today.
Thank you, okay Deji Abdurrahmit.
And then Evelyn himistar as arenilect you with Chinnel Central Television. Two quick questions. First, have you have you talked to Ambassador the know of Israel directly because he today he taught to us. He said that he urged you to resign. Do you think that would make a difference. And secondly you said that the request from Israel to dismas Arnwa it's a political motivation. It's political motivated, it's not really
humanitarian or other things. So can you remind us what's the importance of honor politically speaking and why Israel wants to dismantle on what politically speaking? Thank you.
I did not have a bilateral meeting with Ambassador Danon. He made a call this morning at the Fance Committee asking me to resign in shame.
And basically.
My answer to this is that if my person would really make a difference, this is certainly something I should envisage. But I don't think it is my person which is attack. It is my function. It is a Commissioner General which is primarily targeted to and it is part of this broader campaign to delegitimize the agency. And on this leads me to the second part of your question, why is
it political? The objective is to strip the Palestinian from the refugee statue and also to unilaterally change the parameters for a political solution. It's a way to undermine the future aspiration of the Palestinian for self determination. It's a way to undermine and to bury once for all, the tow STA solution. We have also seen that it's not just on War which has been targeted. Any voices in the region supporting the Palestinian authorities, supporting the pastway offer
to state solution started to be phased out. We have seen it with some UN agencies. We have seen it even with a member STATA diploma matter have been asked to leave.
And also and here.
I was clear also with the False Committee and the General Assembly last week, it is completely false to believe that if the agency stops the provision of its services that this will end the statue of the Palestine refugees. The statue of the Palestine refugees is confirmed through the resolution Geer Resolution one nine four on has been created
later on to provide services to the refugees. Hence the right of the right of return remains in train in the resolution one nine four and it has nothing to do with the provision of services of UNIR. But we have heard once the legislative text has been adopted number of a politic who were driving this at texts saying this is a chance in a generation to put an end once for all to refugee statue and also to victim mood.
Okay, Adam, please.
Go ahead, thank you, mister Lazarini. After Hamis, I am from the Arabic Daily. Many of the questions I want to raise had already been raised, especially asking you to resign by Danny Danna. And my question is about the day after are you prepared to put a plan to cover the shortages in financial support to Honora once we see the new administration cutting off completely the support for Honora, and of course some of the Israeli supporters also might
do the same. So what is your plan to fill the gap and the budgetary crisis you might be facing. And my second question, with that affect the operation of Onorua and the other duty stations like Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, how is the operation will be affected by this Israeli decision?
Thank you, thank you.
You know my first objective right now is to safeguard the agency and its ability to operate through a number of I would say political diplomatic intervention because we have to, and that was my ask to the Member States. Use all your inference to make sure that these laws are not adapted, implemented and once the snows are put on hold, to shield the role of the agency in any political transition. But at the same time, you're right and haven't talked
about finance. You were used to hear me talking about finance until now. But our financial situation remains very dire. I still do not have the funding to end the year, so I still have forty five days to find the financial supporter to be able to pay the salary of
our thirty thousand stuff across the region. Now the beginning of next year, the expectation, the forecast is gream because the main donor, which has been the un United State, used always to contribute at the beginning of January and help the agency to go through the first a quarter this year. We won't have a contribution of coming from the US anyway. As you know, contribution been frozen minimum until March next year, and indeed we have absolutely no
indication that they will resume anytime soon. Then we have also a number of donors who are going through austerity budget in Europa, which will also impact the level of contribution to the agency. So I'm particularly indeed concerned about the financial situation as from the end of the year and beyond. Now, how is this legislative text impacting the neighboring country. It's not impacting the neighboring country because it does not apply to the neighboring country, but there can
be some side effect. It all depends on how DOUGHNUS countries reactor in the future. If they have the feeling that the agency cannot operate anymore in Gaza and in the West Bank, will they still contribute continue to contribute to the agency when the agency maintained full activity in the neighboring countries. I hope so we aim at data, but I cannot answer with certainty.
Thank you, Okay, Let's start with Evelyn Yvonne Shereifa and then Stefano.
Evelyn, Hello, Commissioner. I'm Evlent Leopold Globe Trotter Media pass through the commercial fun for journalists, and I have a couple questions for you. The first is do you still have an operation in Gaza considering the violence and if so, how do you get more How over the last month have you gotten more facilities, equipment and what not into Gaza and the West Bank considering the objections to you existing.
And I have another question after that, which is you calculate the number of refugees and all their descendants, which is a very large number that are somehow affiliated with you, does that indicate a right of return?
Oh?
Thank you for your briefing. I've learned a lot today.
Thank you.
Yes, we continue to operate in Gaza, but as you know, our operational space is very, very narrow. It's Gasa. It's one of the most dangerous places to operate. You have also been regularly briefed on how arrowing the situation is there. Some have also described this type of you know, post apocalyptic dystopian or colleagues are witnessing, especially in the north of Gaza. You have also been briefed about how hunger has deepened and that famine, especially in the north, is
also at the corner. You have also been briefed about how little entered into Gather in October. October one of the worst months in terms of Huminturan supply into the Gaza stripper. I think only the first mode of the wall had in average less trucks going into the strip, so there is a race against the clocker. I have also repeatedly said that if there is a political will,
we can bring supply at level. We have seen also with a Polio campaign that if there is a political will, we can make GIT a success, and it has been a success. In this dark environment. We continue to operate in shelters. We continue to provide sixteen thousand consultations a day through our mobile clinic and health center, and whenever there is a distribution going on with partners, our staff are being mobilized in.
The West Bank.
We are not necessarily involved in a many turned response per se.
We are more.
Implementing our core activities. Our schools are open. We have fifty thousand kids in our school. We continue to provide a primary healthscare consultation. Your second part of the question was right, yeah, but the right of return. Sorry, yes, two things. One, we have in Roe about five point nine million people registered and refugees. It does not mean that there are five point nine million Palistine refugees in
the region. As an agency, we are servicing about five hundred and fifty thousand children, girls and boys in our across seven hundred school across the region. We are servicing about two million people. When it comes to primary healthcare, we are providing food assistance or cash depending on where to about two million people. And we have a social safety netor for the poorest among the pool for about four hundred thousand people. So we are far from servicing
the five point nine million people. I keep also being asked, why is the state to being given from one generation to the other one. This is different from your a chair Again, this is false. You can be a second further false generation of refugees with unit share if there is no lasting solution. Look at the Western Sarah, look at Afghanistan, look at the even Somalia. Here we are talking already about fifty forty thirty years depending on the context.
I was referring to the right of return is a political right which needs to be addressed in a political solution. So on one as an agency has absolutely nothing to do with this. A question is the right of return a recognition of what happened in forty six forty eight?
Is the right of return? A compensation? Does it go beyond this?
Needs to be addressed politically on what has absolutely nothing to do with this.
Mister President, at the outset, I want to thank you for convening this meeting at the ministerial level, and also to thank all the ministers in attendance at this crucial juncture. Allow me also to thank mister Winsland for his sobering briefing and through him.
To express our appreciation for all the efforts.
Being undertaken by the United Nations, notably it's personnel on the ground, especially on ROWA, the lifeline for millions of refugees, the sole means of survival in Gaza, and doing so while under constant attack and the target of a smearing campaign and unrelenting excitement by Israel, the occupying power aimed at collapsing the agency and denying millions of esssions of life.
Mister President four hundred and eight days, four hundred and eight days, with two million Palestinians struggling to survive, chased and hunted from one end of Gaza to the other, displaced and starved. Nowhere is safe, no one man, woman or child immune from attack, ruthlessly targeted, barely escaping death, only to face death yet again the next day. No one can claim they do not know what is happening
in Gaza. No one can claim that civilians are not being killed on purpose, starved on purpose, forcibly, displaced on purpose, terrorized on purpose, all part of an undeniable plan for the annexation of the land and inhalation of its people. There is nothing hidden about what Israel is doing in Gaza. It has been exposed by every reliable source there is. It is beyond doubt what plan is being implemented and
for what purpose. Every announcement of improvement is contradicted by the deepening suffering of people on the ground, the deepening of the humanitarian catastrophe, the relentless violence, further devastating whatever is left of life in Gaza. The only question that matters now is are you willing to do what is necessary to stop it?
Mister President, from Palestine to Lebanon.
The same illegal and inhumane methods are on full display. No regard for civilian life, no regard for the law, no regard for humanity. The mass killing of civil villians and mass destructions continue unabated. Can anyone claim this is not a threat to the peace, threat to international peace and security. If this is not a threat to peace, what is? There is only one course of action for this Council, for this security council, demanding an immediate and
unconditional ceasefire under Chapter seven of the Charter. Let me repeat, demanding immediate and unconditional ceasefire under Chapter seven of the Charter, as has been called for by the Arab and Muslim
summat in Riad on eleventh November. A ceasefire has long been the demand of the Palestinian people, of peoples around the world, of governments around the world, and of the families of hostages, because they know this is the only way for families Palestinian and Israelis to be reunited in life, not in death. We are on the brink of total collapse of life in Gaza. In action means perpetuating the agony, feeding the fire and allowing death to prevail.
It is to sit by and watch.
As death sentences are issued and executed every day for hundreds of civilians. Mister President, Nothing justifies harming civilians repeatedly, deliberately, massively. Nothing justifies targeting them indiscriminate killing them. Nothing justifies wanton destructions of homes and civilian infrastructure. Nothing justifies the use of starvation as a method of war. Nothing justifies depriving an entire people of medical care and aid, no less
in a time of genocide. If we start accepting any explanation for these actions, any justification, any pretext, we will be upending the fundamental rules that were elaborated to safeguard humanity, making all peoples more vulnerable and more exposed. This is a crisis for Palestine of the highest order and equally for the international community, as all Israel has declared a war on our international law based order. It is attacking
the UN, its Secretary General Honora, and UNIFL. It is attacking the ICC, attacking the ICJ and breaching its authoritative opinion and its provisional orders under the Genocide Convention.
What word is this?
Where war criminals are shielded and judged, judges are threatened. Where peacekeepers are attacked and humanitarians killed.
What word is this?
Where civilians are targeted, killed, name, tormented, and traumatized, with no protection, no decisive action whatsoever to stop this in humanity, Gaza is the crossroad, and what you do there will determine where humanity goes from here. Gazza's faith will haunt the world for generations to come. You must act now, individually, collectively, within these holes and outside of them, to put out the fire before it devours everything on its path. Mister President,
violence is an impasse. What our region needs is not more killing, but rather a just political solution. The solution is not for one people to be this, to disappear, to be disappeared, but rather for mutual acceptance and existence. It is not to kill and be killed, but rather to live and let live. That is the only path
towards shared peace and security. The choice is simple between occupation and freedom, an axation and independence, apparthride and dignity of universal rights, oppression and coexistence, a choice between war and peace. The current Israeli government has made a choice. It is obvious from the statements of its representatives. From the actions of its leaders, occupation forces, and settlers.
It is the wrong choice for all and what is why.
And that is why whatever action you take or fail to take, are so important, because what happens next will determine which path we are on for generations to come. We will do our part, but we cannot do it alone, nor can we do it for long.
If this continues, we are running out of time.
The faith of the region cannot be left to be decided by those blinded by hate and fanatic ideology. It has to be determined by the law, by reason, by regard for all human lives, by respect for our rights and our common humanity, and.
By the quest for shared peace and security.
We call on all states to act for protection of civilians, recognition of the State of Palestine and its admission as a full member in the United Nations, implementation of the j Advisory Opinion, respect for international legal obligations without exception, without fear or favor. We call on them to act decisively to end settlement activities in the West Bank, including is Jerusalem, including by taking actions against Israeli officials responsible
before we see settlements belt yet again in Gaza. We call on them to support initiatives for just and lasting peace through actions, not only words. A journalist asked me if it was real realistic to expect an end of occupation when it was clear that the objective was permanent annexation. Ask me if it was realistic to speak of two state solution when there was clearly no readiness on the
Israeli government side to accept an independent Palestinian state. Ask me if it was realistic to speak of coexistence while the genocide was underway. My answer is that the only alternative to an end of occupation and the two state solution and coexistence is perpetuar war.
Perpetual war, our more deadly.
What is unrealistic is to think that oppressing an entire nation will lead to peace and security. What is unrealistic is to continue so the same policies that have been tried for decades, yet expect a different outcome. What is unrealistic is to think that one side can simply eliminate the other. We warned then, and we warn again of where this path leads us to. We have seen it time and time again. We are witnessing it now. We
cannot allow for this to continue any longer. A different path is possible if we reject this self inflicted powerlessness. Being realistic means refusing to surrender to a reality of death and destruction, of occupation and conflict, of hate and war, instead working together to chart a path that ends this genocide, ends this occupation, and ensures that our collective will for freedom,
justice and peace prevails over that reality. We will work with all of you to chart this irreversible path forward, and the first indispensable step is an immediate and unconditional cease fire. We appeal to this Council to act now, Act now, and I thank you, mister President.
I thank the Permanent Observer of the Observer States of Palestine for his statement, and now give the flaw to the Representative of Israel.
On Miuru teams work faster on the new innovation workspace. Innovation belongs on Mirou.
Thank you, mister President.
This week, we are the honor and privilege to accompany a Elet Samirano here in the UN and stand by her as she spoke about her San Yonatan, a elect, has spoken many times over San his passion, enthusiasm, his love for the earth and all its creatures, his smile, his love, his love of life. As the elet said, Yonatan is a life and the life is Yonatan. That life was stolen by a monster on the un paywall. As seen on the video, Yonatan was sworn into the back of a track and taken back to Gaza by
an UNUAH employee. The monster who rabbed the Samarano family of the sun, of his smile, of his embrace, was cashing checks signed and sealed by the United Nations and the UNRA Commissioner General. To say that a Yelet Spain is agonizing is a monumental understatement. Yet she has received no apology from the UN, no explanation, no any expression of regret. The fact that this is not the topic of today's discussion. That a un employee boodally kidnapped and is very civilian is beyond me.
It is not as if this is a surprise.
After all, we have provided hundreds of names and Hama's ideas of UNA employees involved in the October seven massacre. We have exposed many signor UNA employees who were Hamas terrorists, and many senior hamasteroists who were UNWA employees. Out of this not anger at all. So many of you, not all of you are UNA's largest donors. You give your money and resources to the United Nations and Ulah rightfully assuming it would be used for education and social services.
Are you not outraged that it has been used to terrorize innocent? Are you not livid at the the secretion of the UN's lofty ideas. Before looking outward, one must look to their own house, because if you truly want to lay the guandwalg for regional peace, there must first be a change in the UN's model superbandi in the region. No more incitement of hatred, no more teaching of violence,
and no more money for terrorism. Commissioner Laservini himself recently admitted that unwa's contributions to current humanitarian efforts could be replaced and a quot without a doubt. Well take him at his world an air pass, turn a new page for the betterment of all involved. Yonatan is still in Gaza, along with one hundred other hostages. Israel will never abandon them,
never stop fighting for their freedom. The Council can and must help condemned Hamas demand their immediate and unconditional release. Turn your focus onto the terrorist organization exploiting Gatheran civilians as a tool for the extermination of Israel. While we fight for the freedom of our hostages and continue to combat terrorists across Gaza. We will not falter in our extensive humanitarian efforts. Only last week I shared our immense efforts since October. In the past six days alone, those
efforts continue without relent. For example, last week, over one hundred and eight tracks entered gathers through the Kerem Shalom and his su Film crossings as well as the Evers crossings in the north. On that same day, fifteen tracks of goods from the UEE delivered to dash Dot Port and entered to Northern Gaza.
This was their second SAD shipment.
It included over two thousand pallets of water, medical equipment, shelter supplies.
And agene products.
Along with delivering aid, we have ensured the maintenance of essential infrastructure. Eleven hospitals currently operate in Gaza and additional fourteen field hospitals. Meanwhile, we have protected access to water across the strip. In northern Gaza alone, one hundred and twelve littles are available per person per day. I'm also happy to report that fifty tacks were collected on the gasen side by international agencies. However, almost nine hundred remain
uncollected as the aid wastes away. Our discussions require refocusing across all aspects, but our debates on the humanitarian effort in Gaza are in particular need well is well facilitate the entrance one hundreds of eight wacks weekly via medic crossings. There has been a failure of agencies to collect that aid. While we flood gather with aid there with a draft of distribution. We will continue to fulfill our duties, but the UN and international organizations must step up in this respect.
Not only must the UN step up to its eight.
Distribution obligations, but the focus must also shift to Hamas's constant hijating of humanitarian aid to feed the machine of terror and misery.
Let me give you an example.
Forty eight hours ago, together with other organizations and UNAH will verify what I'm telling you now, we coordinated the entry of more than one hundred eight trucks which cost Kerm Shalom crossing into Gaza. Ninety seven of those tracks were violently looted by Hamas, with the drivers held at gunpoint. Seven out of one hundred wacks This is an example
of the immensely challenging reality that we are facing. We will continue with our efforts despite the Council continuing to ignore the true cause of the situation, Hamas and its violent greed week after week. Some at this table villainize and demonize as well. But your failure to identify the crimes of Hamas against the Gatheren people exposed your true agenda,
your true bias, and the blinding heatwd that lies behind it. Colleagues, is rallied under attack on seven fronts, including from our northern border, after his Balam made a decision to enter the war in October eighth in solidarity with the Hamas Tellos comrades. The fire over fifteen thousand rackets, missers, anti tank missers, drowns and other such web friends that our civilian population. As a result, seventy thousand of our civilians have been made internal refugees.
Israel has been perfectly clear on.
What it takes to restore come First, his Baalam must withdraw to the north of the Litani River, as outlined in Resolution seventeen o one. Southern Lebanon must be freed of Iranian proxies. Presolution fifteen fifty nine. No other country at this table would accept seventy thousand of the civilians being displaced by a terrorist organization. No other country at this table would take any different steps than Israel. No other country would lie down and agreed to that terrorist
organization remaining on the border. The international community must join us in our efforts to restall Lebanese Lebanese sovereignty to southern Lebanon, freeing the Lebanese people of their Iranian masters, and in seeing the resolutions of this very council, Mister President, there with a string connecting all of these crises, a common thread which has spilled blood in every corner of
the Middle East. It is the same thread that runs a railway of deaths with Syria and into Lebanon, supplying and training his Balateovist to carry out the murderous goals. It is the same thread that and bolsted Hamas to commit the October seven authrosities, the same threads distabilizing Iraq and Syria, the same thread that direct the Hoodies in the attacks against international maritime trade. Iranian officials have themselves
acknowledged their relationship with the Hoodies. The sponsorship of terror is not an open secret among nations. Iran shouted from the rooftop. In a report delivered to you last months, it was revealed that I I Ruan's funds and weapons have transformed the Hoodies into a military force, evidence of by hundreds of indiscriminate attacks against merchant ships as well as UK and US warships over the last year. Now that global threat is teaming towards obtaining nuclear capabilities, we
cannot and will not allow that to happen. I Ran dreams of a vision of domination made possible by a nuclear arsenal. I Ruan's nuclear ambitions for the threat not only to Israel, but to every member state of the UN. We all know that a nuclear armed Iran wouldn't hesitate to rein down destruction not yet witnessed. Confronting this global
existential threat requires a coalition of the courageous. This Council must set the tone, condemned diatolas regime, impose crippling sanctions and walk with us to do a line in the sand so the Middle East might heal from the damage I Ran as caused, Mister President, this is a moment.
For decisive action.
The Council must rise to its purpose and address the true instigator of instability in the Middle East. Iran's blood stained ambitions will only end when we collectively say enough.
Before concluding, I must mention the.
Efforts to pass a resolution in this Council which fails to outline the release of the hostages as a condition of a cease fire. Such a decision would be a betrayal not only of Israel, but of the one hundred and one families and the loved ones being tormented by terrorist monsters. This includes Jonatan Samirano and his family, to whom the United Nations owed in an unpayable debt. Iswel
will defend its people. We will never abandon our hostages, never forget them, and never stop fighting for them.
That's why we started this war. I remind you, make no mistake.
History will remember who stood with us to appol peace and justice and who allowed terror to flourish.
I think you miss the president, I think the representive of Israel's their statements.
You know, I just wanted to reiterate the fact that the government has deposited up to nearly twenty nine thousand pages worth of documents with regards to the SDTC matter to the House of Commons. Now we've done so in a way that respects the rights of Canadians, and respects the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and respects the separation of powers in this place. And I heard earlier today that Andrew Shecher, the Conservative House Leader, had suggested that
he knew what was in those documents. And I want to lay that claim to rest because, as everyone knows and has been stated numerous times, members of Parliament didn't request these documents for them to see, so they actually haven't seen any of them. So for him to suggest that he knows the contents of those documents is patently false, and he is simply not telling the truth because at no point in time were those documents ever to be
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So it is now time.
Government has deposited up to twenty nine thousand pages of documents. The Conservatives are not doing this for any moral or principled reason. It is now time to stop these partisan games, to let the Chamber get back to the important work of Canadians and to get on with the business of governing. Yesterday the government deposited tabled the supply bills. There is important measures in there for Canadians and for Canada's role
in the world. If we do care about seniors and children and people with disabilities accessing the dentists, we need to get on with the business of supply. Today marks one thousand days since the war of aggression by Russia in Ukraine. If we care about helping Ukrainians, we need to get on with the business of supply. So the time is now up for the Conservatives to stop playing these absolutely ridiculous.
Games and to get on with the business of cant come Quebec on the discs productive constructive a continue.
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Constructive with your response?
Your response to those who've asked Minister boston or to resign. What's your response to those who are calling for his residution.
Minister Bossono has been clear with regards to those allegations, and I will let him speak for himself.
In that regard.
So if you're company claiming to the Indigenous when it was not, what messages that send to those who were falsely claiming indigenous identity and other institutions.
So no one should ever falsely claim an Indigenous identity and in fact, with regards to that company, they were never on the list for Indigenous procurement consequences. So the Minister has addressed those allegations and the Minister will continue to address this.
Just to go back, just to go back to the lock up right now.
If you can't get other parties like the block in the NDP to work with you on a stop motion of this, is that not a de facto non confidence.
I mean, like it's a minority parliament, you have to work with other parties.
Minority parliaments are messy, That's how they are. We have had a period of incredible stability and minority parliaments since twenty nineteen, which is abnormal for minority parliaments in Canadian history. But what I can say is just before the privileged motion started, and actually after it had started, we had won at two confidence motions. So we do have confidence of the House.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
Canadians right across the country, in particular those Edmontonians in Edmonton Center and the city I'm from, wake up every single day with the fact that a minister in our country, the Minister Employment and Social Development in Canada, the minister known as Randy Bossano. They continue to see this unfortunate and real time abuse of the Indigenous procurement system. This
abuse has real victims. The victims are Indigenous people. The victims are the good people of Edmonton Center who are embarrassed by what's taking place here in the House of Commons. Indigenous people notn't just the victims of what happened with Randy Bossano. What we're seeing is Indigenous people right across the country are filling are being blamed for calling out what is a very real and legitimate concern, which is that pretendians continue to exist right across our country. This
race shifting that's taking place is very concerning. What we're seeing is Indigenous or non Indigenous people claiming to be Indigenous for the purpose of accessing benefits. We see this right across the country, whether it's in arts and media, whether it's in academia, or whether it's here in the House of Commons. We must get a grapple with the fact that people are abusing these systems for narrow benefit.
This is happening across the country. We need to see action when it comes to ensuring the justice for Indigenous people, justice for the good people of Edmonton Center, and that means Randy Bossana must resign. If he does not resign, it's incumbent upon the Prime Minister to kick someone like that out. This is the prime minister that said the most important relationship he's ever had is with First Nations
maytea in Inuit people. Meanwhile, there are those in his cabinet, in his inner circle, that are abusing the Indigenous procurement system so that they can gain advantage and benefit from that system. We're seeing this kind of malicious, malicious intent right across the country. We need to see a government that's serious and puts the decision making of who is
indigenous back in the hands of Indigenous communities. This is a matter of self determination, a matter of reconciliation, and albeit it's become one now of very serious and potential fraud that's stemming up right across the country.
As a minister or as an MP should.
He must resign. He must must resign as a minister. That's someone who is in the cabinet right now making decisions related to the outcome of Indigenous people's lives. Who is right now, right now not certain exactly who he is himself. But has he said he's on a soul searching journey. I I'm always happy to see my colleagues go on a soul searching journey. It cannot come at a cost or expense to taxpayers. If that means him resigning in order to find his soul, then he should resign as an MP.
Have you spoken to him since since these claims started to come, since questions of his indigenous links.
I have asked for him to come clean with who he is. Since then he has. We have not met personally. We have not had a phone call about this. We haven't made any we have had any discussion point about this other than my first statement, which was request to ask him to come clean on who he thinks he is when he made attention to services.
Minister was asked reputedly this morning whether she thinks Minister should resign. She didn't answer your thoughts on that.
Of course she's gonna say that he shouldn't resign. This is a member, This is an think you just right now?
Oh true.
It's clear that the government is very intent on trying to skirt this under the rug. They're trying tooth and nail to see this issue just go away because they don't want to have to deal with the reality that their government, in action or at times their own party, has created a circumstance where they have tried to perceive or tried to mislead the public in the fact that they have a larger Indigenous caucus than they actually do. So the Liberal Party itself is also guilty of this.
It's an institutional guilt. So she belongs to that party. So a party that can't itself even verify who is Indigenous within its own party, then the question is incumbent upon the minister. How seriously do they take reconciliation if they can't answer those questions, the basic questions of that kind of abuse. Because I said before, the real victims here aren't the Liberals. The real victim isn't Randy. The real victim is Indigenous businesses, Indigenous people that did everything right.
They did everything right. These are people that I know that built the company for the first time. There's are entrepreneurs. They signed all the paperwork, they did all that just to learn that the system is rigged right here at the top.
Before you apology, it's not enough. I mean, why is an apology?
Maybe not enough for you in your.
Apologies, not enough, because we've had too much you much, you much, too much, you much, you much, you much, too much, too much, this race shifting, this idea that well today I'm German, yesterday I'm Cree, and tomorrow I'm going to be Mayte. That kind of admission is evidence that someone doesn't know who they are, or is trying to.
Cover up a lie they made.
These series of lies are hard to defend when we start to see these lies contradict each other. What we've seen in the last few weeks in this very interesting case of pretendingism is a common factor in all cases of pretendingism, which is the fact that we have individuals who are claiming to be someone they aren't, not just the first time, not just the second time, but many times we see this continue the way it is. This isn't just a problem facing Randy Boston. I want to
be very clear, this is a problem facing Canada. We have this issue right across the country, in schools, in universities, in businesses, and right here in the House of Comments. It's incumbent upon me, however, as the as a member who is mate and has cre ancestry to call out what I believe to be a very real abuse because I've worked with and I know families that have built companies, and I've seen those companies fall into the ground, go
bankrupt because of the lack of economic opportunity. The reason this program is supposed to exist is to ensure indigenous businesses have a chance to be self sufficient, can actually do the work of government because they have the meritocracy to do that work. But what we see instead is ministers that are not who they say they are, getting an application to the system and ultimately getting that contract.
The Prime Minister was asked today what do you make of the strip that keeps coming out over Minister boston and the Prime Minister Tad who's asked what does he make of Miss Brossnow the stories have come out what Minister Bostono has said, the Prime Minister said, the Minister will continue to explain himself. I'm happy with the work he's doing in Alberta. What do you make of the prime ministers? I think that was an expression of somewhat confidence that he's okay with them staying in the.
He doesn't take this seriously. This is the same guy that said his most important relationship was that with First Nations may Tea in Inuit people. Meanwhile, he lets someone who doesn't know who they are pretend to be someone he isn't for the purpose of accessing public dollar. That to me is a real pain and it's a real unfortunate consequence of the continued colonization and systemic racism we
continue to see in Canada. That kind of systemic racism is perpetuating by people who do not people in power who do not act systemic violence like this. A systemic violence that suggests that you don't have to be Indigenous to apply for an Indigenous grant and you won't even get a slap on the wrist says to every other person who is a pretending right now and to everyone else who wants to access the benefit on behalf of Indigenous people, that they can get away with it and
there's going to be no consequence. That is the exact opposite of what reconciliation means in Canada. We need to have more effort towards Indigenous justice and that includes taking seriously the very real issues that are facing Indigenous communities. Pertenianism is to making jobs, opportunity, wealth and voice away from Indigenous people in a very legitimate way. We could have been talking the last three weeks about indigenous self determination.
Instead we've been stuck talking about Randy Bossano and how a case like his is detrimental to the system and there are ways to remedy this. The very first step the Prime Minister has to kick him out of cabinet.
So you had already touched on this a little bit before. About the Liberals Indigenous Caucus, there's at least two other MP's on there who have publicly been questioned about their claims to indigenity. Do you think that Heimi Batiste, the chair of that caucus, has said that politics is a numbers game and that the more people he has in that committee who can advocate on things that he finds
valuable is great to him. Do you think that that caucus is working in the best interests of Indigenous people?
Politics is a numbers game. I agree with him on that. What I don't agree with is that he's willing to use Indigenous people as a pawn in his game to get numbers. That's the problem with the Liberal Party. They're
using Indigenous people as a token. It doesn't matter how many Indigenous people vote for my party, and it shouldn't matter how many Indigenous people vote for the Liberal Party to know that abusing a system that takes money out of the hands of Indigenous people is wrong, completely wrong. When I think about my colleagues across the House of Commons, I am concerned with pretending is I'm not just in the Liberal Party, but across all parties in the House
of Commons. We've done the work in my party as an Indigenous caucus to make certain we know who we are, to make certain we understand those stories and to share those stories of pride of who we are with all of our caucus members. That's a difficult job. And I have a huge run and respect for my colleagues that have asked those hard questions of me and my colleagues, and we tell them and we speak truth to who we are. I am a proud Mati person. My father
was from the Frog Lake First Nations. I am from the Fishing Lake Maiti Settlement. I have a card in my pocket. I fought for rights for my people for six years as a National Director, and I find it shameful that people in this place would use Indigenous identity in order to score either cheap political points or to
score money, thank you very much. Shouldn't fare managation projects to federal procurement projects that would allow you to get hundreds of thousands of dollars under the false pretense of being indigenous. He's claiming that he had no under awareness of mister Anderson's business dealings and that mister Anderson acted unilaterly. That is the claim he's making. We have a very difficult challenge, which is how would we verify that claim regardless of its verifiability. He was the joint owner of
that company that submitted that his applications. Ultimately that company would receive federal contributions. That's the issue today. The larger issue that you're speaking about on indigenous identity is one that the country's having in real time across the whole country. But it's separate and distinct from the fact that a cabinet minister would lie on an application have that application heard, even though those applications didn't receive funding at the time.
Those applications are kept and that company's portfolio are kept through the procurement process, and eventually he did get, in fact get money through that procurement process. That's the issue here.
If this was an innocent white lie and it was just on a school website or like some low risk thing, or someone said I'm just discovering my identity, it would be more acceptable the fact that we had a sitting cabinet minister in the chair of power in our country that it's committed to reconciliation but can't even see how damaging and incredibly racist it is to have an application and false name of a nation when you do not belong to the nation or don't have certainty of that.
To me is perception, is misleading the public, and it's a perception that he wanted to have in order to gain a contract.
That's the issue.
Should he resign, He should resign.
Thanks Blake, Thanks, I will see you there oefully okay, sorry.
To me there.
Then, what do you make of a little bit of what you've read about Minister Boston now when he has talked about in terms of his family's connection to indigenous ancestry he apologized last week. Do you have any thoughts of kind of what you've heard from him?
Well, I know that people in Canada have been charged for identity fraud and you know, I haven't looked into his ancestry. I certainly don't have the time to look in his into his ancestry. But claiming you're something you're.
Not is fraud.
What do you make of his his exponent, that's that's certainly nought up to me. I would say that, you know, he has a number of issues.
Right now, and.
That's what I have to say about that.
What do you what do you make of the explanation, which is he was speaking from what he thought to be true about his family's ancestry. He's learning about things in real time. He was not maybe as clear as he should have been, But he never intended to claim an indigenous identity that wasn't his. What do you make of that explanation to the statements you've heard from him.
Well, the fact is he did claim indigenous ancestry. He participate paid in a company that applied for funding at a time where we're supposed to be reconciling in this country claiming indigenous ancestry, and I think that's very serious.
If the Caucus and the Cabinet are having Chinese conversations about indigenous identity and there's no consensus within about what that is. How could you do you think that they could be expected to properly handle the procurement list the Indigenous Business Registry if they can figure it out within their own rank.
Well, I want to be really clear. That's a really important program. I know that you know members of the Conservative Party I have criticized that program. I think probably because that's another thing they'd probably cut if they were elected. However, they need a more thorough process of vetting, you know, people that are applying for the program. That's certainly what's happening in academic institutions across the country now with all the identity fraud that's the.
Current Well, your action to be changing from the fool, you know, what's your actions to be changing from?
Like complicing of faith that's from free commity.
And what does that do?
What does that make up the indigenous as well? You know, certainly it's not up to me. It's up to him to be honest about his identity. Claiming your identity is something that it isn't uh now that it's shifting. Uh, that's identity fraud. And there's people in this country that are being charged with identity fraud right now for claiming Indigenous ancestry when they they aren't.
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