Sri Lanka has expressed deep concerns on the current deteriorating humanitarian situation in Palestine and other Occupied Palestinian Territories and called on the parties concerned to maintain restraint in order to ameliorate the situation on the ground and help advance the peace process to which both parties were committed.

It was Sri Lanka’s firm belief that it was only through meaningful negotiations that a two State settlement, as envisaged by all, could be achieved. Thereby an end could be put to the Israeli occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian State could be established and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people realized.

Sri Lanka agreed that the occupation continued to be the main cause of widespread human rights violations. Therefore, there was an urgent need to put an end to all unlawful settlement activities which had led to the displacement of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. There was also a need to put an end to the continuing blockade on the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza. (Daily Mirror online)