Development cooperation for occupied Arab territories: UK Statement
Simon Manley, UK Ambassador to WTO and UN, gave this speech on development cooperation for occupied Arab territories (POL/4) to the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Thank you Chair, dear brother, for giving me the floor. As it’s the first time I’m addressing this Governing Body, let me congratulate you on your appointment as Chair of the Governing Body. Good to see you fulfilling this role.
Let me start by echoing the sentiments of our Director General and offer the UK’s sincere condolences to all Palestinians and Israelis who have suffered or lost loved ones. We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and livelihoods of both Israeli and Palestinian workers and employers.
Since the appalling terrorist attack by Hamas on 7 October, the UK has made clear that we support Israel’s legitimate right to defend itself under the UN Charter and in line with international humanitarian law.
This requires all parties to take every possible step to avoid the harming of civilians, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
We of course recognise that the Palestinian people are suffering terribly. They are also the victims of Hamas, a terrorist organisation that does not speak for, nor act, in the interests of the Palestinian people.
As a result of this conflict, as we can all witness, a humanitarian crisis is growing before our eyes. That is why we must continue working together to get more humanitarian support into Gaza, including through ILO technical assistance.
The UK notes the ILO report on the ‘Enhanced programme of development cooperation for the occupied Arab territories’ and the call for all Member States to provide more financial resources to the Decent Work Programme. The UK has already announced a further 30 million pounds in humanitarian aid, and sent more than 20 tonnes of emergency relief.
We welcome the partial reopening of the Rafah crossing, but it is not enough. We need a constant flow of aid entering Gaza. And that is why we support coordinated humanitarian pauses. However, a wholesale ceasefire would only allow Hamas to entrench itself in Gaza and launch further attacks.
The UK also continues to work with our international partners to prevent this situation spreading and causing wider instability. We support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a sovereign Palestinian state.
To reach that goal, we have a responsibility to ensure a plan for Gaza that offers hope, security, stability and effective governance for the population, and economic prosperity for workers and employers, so that their political wishes can be fulfilled.
With these comments, we can support the amendments as proposed by a group of Arab countries, but with the exception of c), d) and e).
We cannot support c), d) and e) as currently drafted, and instead we support the alternative amendments c), d) and e) as proposed by the United States and seconded by Australia. We hope these alternative amendments will allow this house to reach a consensus on this important issue.
Thank you, Chair.