Kuwait: Gaza rebuilding conference 'positive'

Kuwait termed as "positive" the outcome of an international conference for the reconstruction of Gaza that succeeded in pledging USD 5.4 billion, of which Kuwait contributed USD 200 million.
The positive results of the conference, co-sponsored by Egypt and Norway, should be translated into reality in order to end the destruction and rebuild Gaza, a process that has consumed all efforts to reach a just and comprehensive solution for the Palestinian cause, Kuwait Ambassador to UN Mansour Al-Otaibi told a Security Council session about the Middle East.
He said Israel continued its "provocative and hostile" policies that would undermine the peace process, thus paving way for a "dangerous" phase in the Middle East lacking peace and security. This, added Al-Otaibi, was a result of Israel's failure to listen to any genuine peace initiative.
Al-Otaibi called on the UNSC to live up to its responsibility to preserve international peace and security, and to take necessary steps to achieve peace by adopting a draft resolution presented by the Arab Group.
This draft resolution, he explained, set a timeframe to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
He urged the Israeli government, the occupying force, to stop settlement expansion policy, confiscation of Palestinian lands and ejecting the Palestinian people from their homes, farms and properties, as well as ceasing their arrest without trial.
Al-Otaibi said Israel should abondon its systematic extremist racist policies to judaize Jerusalem and attacking the holy sites. Israel, he added, should lift the illegal siege on Gaza Strip and reopen crossings to allow entry of humanitarian and basic needs of Palestinians.
He said the international community should provide protection for the Palestinian people and their occupied lands to ultimately end occupation thus allowing the State of Palestine to exercise its sovereignty.
The Kuwaiti ambassador reiterated support for the Palestinian government of national consensus, welcoming the government of Sweden's recognition of the State of Palestine. He called on all countries to follow Sweden's footsteps.
Recognizing the Palestinian state will be an important step towards implementation of relevant UN resolutions and the Arab peace initiative, in order to achieve the two-state solution, he said.
Al-Otaibi renewed the call upon Israel to comply with UNSC resolution 497 over the withdrawal from the Syrian Golan Heights. He asserted support to Lebanon's sovereignty and security, calling on Israel to cease violations against the sovereignty of Lebanon, and to withdraw from all Lebanese territories in line with UNSC resolution 1701.