One vote ignores outcry for justice for Palestine: Housing Minister

The Minister of Housing, Land and Urban Development Dr. Ali Haidar, on Wednesday, has said that one vote at the United Nations Security Council has ignored the outcry for justice.

The minister made the remarks while speaking at Wednesday's meeting of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

In his speech, the minister said just one out of the 193 members of the United Nations, defied the outcry for justice, recognition, and self-determination of the Palestinian people.

"With that one vote, the United Nations Security Council has yet again failed," Minister Haidar said.

"With that veto, the Security Council has failed to stop Israel's ongoing genocide. As we speak, Israel is carrying out its mass killings in Palestine.

"Its brutal, barbaric and horrific actions are being etched into history as witnessed in real time."

The minister also noted that while several Palestinian bodies are being discovered more recently from mass graves, families of the country are being dug out of the rubble every day.

He further said the Security Council cannot feign ignorance, and claim to be unaware of the situation on the Palestinian ground right now.

At the UNGA's Wednesday meeting, the minister pointed out to the more recent strikes by Israeli armed forces on Rafah after driving more than a million Palestinian civilians to seek refuge in the city, was an act of genocide.

The minister further criticized the UN Security Council for its inaction that has lead to Israel's unbearable and barbaric treatment against the Palestinians becoming normalized.

While highlighting the genocides of Rwanda and Bosnia, Minister Haidar urged that it was now the time for the current assembly to "say no to veto".

"For veto has been used to encourage Israel to continue with apartheid, to continue with illegal occupation and to continue with illegal settlement," he added, and said that the power of veto has become a tool to perpetuate genocide.

Minister Haidar once again echoed Maldivian government's long held stance for Israel to recognize Palestinian sovereignty, and called the Israeli government and its armed forces to withdraw from occupied Palestinian lands with immediate effect.

He also called the Israeli government to allow the return of Palestinian refugees driven out of their homes since 1948.