Dhaka: Palestine ambassador to Bangladesh, Yousef SY Ramadan, has called upon nations worldwide to take significant measures to halt what he describes as ongoing crimes of genocide, displacement, and injustices against Palestinians by Israel. Speaking at a symposium on Palestine Solidarity Day organized by the United Nations Association of Bangladesh (UNAB) at Hotel Lake Castle in the capital, Yousef highlighted the dire conditions faced by Palestinians and urged international intervention. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Yousef emphasized the urgent need for global action, stating, "The horrific conditions experienced by our people along with the comprehensive destruction of their capabilities by Israel, required all of us to act. All countries must take effective measures to protest ongoing crimes of genocide and displacement against our people." He criticized Israel's ban on the operations of UNRWA, a UN agency responsible for providing essential services like food, healthcare, and education to Palestinians, and noted the severe impact on the population, with over 45,000 Palestinians, including 17,500 children and 12,000 women, having been killed in Gaza over the last 15 months. The symposium, chaired by UNAB Vice President Professor Monsur Musa, also featured speakers such as Ambassador Masud Mannan, UNAB Secretary General Syed Mohammad Shahed, and climate activist Fatiha Aayat. Yousef condemned the ongoing policies of land grabbing and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and Jerusalem, highlighting that more than 50,000 Palestinians are illegally detained in Israeli prisons under harsh conditions. Yousef called for the enforcement of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions and urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to ensure accountability for the alleged crimes. He lamented the failure of these resolutions to bring justice, stating, "Although the majority of the world along with international law is on our side, this has not yet resulted in justice for Palestinians." He further criticized the international community's inability to hold Israel accountable, attributing the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank to this failure. Reflecting on historical UN resolutions, Yousef expressed discontent with the 1947 UN resolution 181 (II) which partitioned Palestine, describing it as unjust. He acknowledged the declaration of the day of solidarity with Palestinian people by the UN in 1977 but noted that it followed significant loss of Palestinian land. Despite this, he appreciated the international support for Palestinian causes. Highlighting the severe humanitarian situation, Yousef accused Israel of politicizing humanitarian aid and using starvation as a tool to exacerbate famine and weaken Palestinians. He concluded by thanking Bangladesh for its support, noting Bangladesh's involvement in preparing a case against Israeli leaders at the ICC, underscoring the need for continued international collaboration to address the plight of Palestinians.
