Home The Embassy Activities The ceremony in commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

The ceremony in commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

Thursday, 15 December 2016 14:31

Hanoi - In commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people (29th November), the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Vietnam, the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations and Vietnam National Library co-organized a ceremony on 14th December 2016 in Hanoi.

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is declared and observed by the United Nations on or around 29 November each year. This day has traditionally provided an opportunity for the international community to focus its attention on the fact that the Question of Palestine remained unresolved and that the Palestinian people are yet to attain our inalienable rights as defined by the General Assembly, namely, the right to self-determination, the right to national independence and sovereignty, and the right to return to our homes. Given the on-going non-violence resistance of Palestine, The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People has a growing importance to create an international pressure to end the illegal occupation of Israel.

 

 

Dr. Lokky Wai, Representative of the World Health Organization, on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, read the message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, quoted: “With the Israeli occupation approaching its 50th year, and the prospects for a two-State solution threatening to slip out of reach, the international community must make it clear that it remains committed to helping the parties to rebuild trust and create the conditions for meaningful negotiations.”

 

Mr. Ho Anh Dung - Chairman of Vietnam’s Committee for Solidarity with the Palestinian people, read the Message of Solidarity from H.E. Mr. Tr?n ??i Quang, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, addressed to H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, which reaffirmed “Vietnam’s consistent support to the just cause of the struggle of the Palestinian people for their fundamental rights”. “We firmly believe that the struggle of the Palestinian people with their efforts and the strong support of the international community with achieve full victory.”

 

In his speech at the ceremony, Mr. Saadi Salama, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Vietnam, extended the profound gratitude to all States that have recognized the State of Palestine, the United Nation agencies, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations and to all brothers and friends and all freedom and peace loving peoples across the world, as well as the friendly people of Viet Nam, who have stood by the side of the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle for independence and freedom.

 

The Ambassador said that the year 2017 will mark 100 years from the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and the 50th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip in 1967 and leading to the 70th anniversary of the the catastrophe of Nakba.

 

“We stress that the illegal Israeli practices and policies of settlement construction and expansion on the land of the State of Palestine are entrenching a one-State reality, instead of consolidating the pillars of just and lasting peace, based on United Nations resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. Furthermore, bringing about a solution to this conflict will help remove pretexts used by extremists and terrorist groups thus contributing to spreading peace and security in the region for the sake of all its peoples. 
From our side, we continue to extend our hand in peace, and call on the international community to uphold its responsibilities, including by adopting a Security Council resolution to end settlement activities, the main obstacle and the greatest threat to the achievement of peace. We also call on the international community to provide international protection to our people for as long as this illegal occupation continues. We also call on the States which have not recognized the State of Palestine to do so. We call for the exertion of efforts to finally enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination, along with their other inalienable rights, including their right to achieve the independence and sovereignty of their State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the pre-1967 borders.”