ISTANBUL 

The Palestinian ambassador to the UN on Sunday called on the international community to take concrete action against Israel, saying words alone aren’t enough to stop the genocide.

Speaking at an emergency UN Security Council meeting, Riyad Mansour stressed that condemnation must transform into action.

"Israel proved long ago (that) it does not care about the (UN) Charter, international law, or the resolutions of this council, if not accompanied by consequences," he said.

“There is something undeniable, Israel does not care about what we say … The only thing that matters now is what we do," said Mansour.

Mansour urged countries to use national tools including recognizing Palestinian statehood, saying: "Otherwise, this analysis and description does not mean anything."

He criticized the international response as inadequate. "The measures taken do not match the level of the crimes committed, so as to truly deter them," he said.

Underlining that more than 2 million Palestinians are enduring “unbearable agony,” Mansour said: “We are not allowed to fail them any longer. We do not have the luxury to feel guilt or shame. We owe them to act now to stop this genocide.”  

Israel's aim to prevent Palestinian statehood

Mansour said Israel's true goal is preventing Palestinian statehood rather than ending Hamas rule, citing its rejection of last month’s New York Declaration on the two-state solution.

"Israel is seeking to cement its full military control over the Gaza Strip, and is prolonging this war ... to prevent an independent Palestinian state," he said.

He called for Chapter 7 enforcement under the UN Charter "to deprive Israel of the means to pursue this war of atrocities."

Mansour also promoted the New York Declaration, urging non-signatories to join the initiative co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France for a two-state solution.

On Friday Israel’s Security Cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “gradual plan” to fully occupy Gaza and displace Palestinians from the north to the south.

Israel has been facing mounting outrage over its deadly war on Gaza, where it has killed more than 61,000 people since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.