Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu told the United Nations that Israel must be held accountable for its crimes in Gaza, including “genocide,” as well as its attacks on journalists and other violations of international law.
“The ongoing massacre, the genocide perpetrated by Israel in Gaza is a travesty of justice and of the international system,” the leader of the Indian Ocean archipelago told the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
He said Israel’s massacres of civilians and its “repeated destruction” of homes, hospitals and schools in Gaza were now spreading to Lebanon.
Israel and Hezbollah exchanged cross-border fire again on Tuesday, a day after the Israeli military launched a wave of airstrikes in Lebanon that have killed at least 569 people so far.
The new Israeli offensive against Hezbollah has fueled fears that the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza could explode into a wider regional conflagration after nearly a year.
The Israeli military is shifting its focus from Gaza to the northern border, where Hezbollah is firing rockets into Israel in support of Hamas, which is also backed by Iran.
Israel has made securing its northern border and the return of displaced residents a priority in its war, setting the stage for a protracted conflict, while Hezbollah has said it will not back down until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.
Muizzu also said Israel was trying to cover up its crimes by targeting Palestinian and Lebanese journalists, including by shutting down Tel Aviv Tribune’s bureaus in Israel and the occupied West Bank.
“How can we interpret this as anything other than a brutal attempt to prevent the world from knowing about the crimes that are being committed?” he asked.
“Israel must be held accountable for these acts of terrorism, violations of international law and UN resolutions.”
In June, Muizzu said his government would bar Israelis from the Maldives, known for its idyllic beaches and luxury resorts, as public anger in the Muslim-majority country grew over Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, displaced nearly the entire population and left much of the enclave in ruins.
On Tuesday, he called on the world to accept a sovereign and independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“We must now ensure that Palestine becomes a full member of the UN,” he added.
In May, the UN General Assembly supported the Palestinian bid for full UN membership, recognizing that the country was qualified to join and recommending that the Security Council “reconsider the matter favorably.” The United States had vetoed a Palestinian bid for full UN membership in the Security Council in April.
Muizzu calls for action against climate crisis
Muizzu also asked world leaders on Tuesday for further support in tackling the climate crisis, which threatens the existence of the world’s lowest-income country.
“Climate change is the most serious threat to our planet, the defining challenge of our generation. It is wiping out decades of progress in just a few minutes,” he said.
“This diverts already depleted resources from long-term development to emergency relief and reconstruction, preventing countries from adapting to the impacts of climate change.”
He called on rich countries and the biggest carbon emitters not only to meet existing financial commitments to developing countries to help them adapt to climate change, but also to extend that funding when the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference, more commonly known as COP29, takes place in November.
“As we work towards COP 29, we must ensure that the new climate finance target matches the level of climate action required.”
