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Mansour to Asharq Al-Awsat: US Logic Grants Israel ‘License to Kill’

Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour (AFP)
Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour (AFP)
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Mansour to Asharq Al-Awsat: US Logic Grants Israel ‘License to Kill’

Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour (AFP)
Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour (AFP)

Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour has urged the UN Security Council to “immediately intervene” to halt what he called a “genocidal operation” being carried out by Israel against 2.3 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

He strongly criticized the logic of the US regarding the right to self-defense, asserting that Israel sees it as a “license to kill” Palestinians.

He emphasized that the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, is presenting a “different path” for achieving peace based on ending the occupation and achieving a two-state solution.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Mansour said that the next steps at the UN “await instructions from the Palestinian leadership in light of the meetings held by the Arab League.”

He emphasized that “now is not the time to allow Israel to escalate its military options,” but rather to “inform Israel that it needs to change its course.”

He reminded that “there is a path to peace, a path where both Palestinians and Israelis don't have to die, a path that directly contradicts what Israel is currently doing.”

“It cannot be said that nothing justifies the killing of Israelis and still provide justifications for killing Palestinians,” argued Mansour.

The Palestinian envoy expressed regret that “for some media outlets and politicians, history seems to begin when Israelis are killed.”

Mansour’s comment referred to the extensive media coverage of attacks by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other Palestinian factions on Israeli settlements near the Gaza Strip since last Saturday, which resulted in the deaths of over a thousand Israelis.

“The Palestinian people have endured deadly years, one after another, with the UN Security Council failing to act despite our warnings about the consequences of Israeli impunity and international complacency,” said Mansour.

Mansour strongly criticized Israel’s rationale that”"the blockade and repeated attacks on Gaza are aimed at destroying Hamas’s military capabilities and ensuring security.”

According to the delegate, past experiences have proved that Israel’s blockade and assaults have not achieved any of its security goals.

“The only thing they have accomplished is inflicting significant suffering on all civilian populations in the Gaza Strip,” said Mansour.

“The time has come to immediately halt the violence and bloodshed, and it's time to end this blockade and open a political horizon,” he added.

Mansour observed that “US messages about Israel’s right to self-defense will be interpreted by Israel as a license to kill and continue down the same path that has led us to where we are now.”

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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told Asharq al-Awsat that global hunger increased sharply during the coronavirus pandemic, noting that the GCC countries were able to shield themselves from major shocks affecting food security.
Laborde added that global hunger affected over 152 million people, with no improvement in the past two years.
Today, 733 million people suffer from chronic hunger, and 2.3 billion face food insecurity, according to the UN annual report on “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World.”

Laborde explained that the global economic crisis has worsened food insecurity, keeping hunger levels high.
Alongside this, climate shocks and conflicts are major causes of hunger. He also pointed out that food insecurity is closely tied to inequality, and the economic crisis, rising living costs, and high interest rates are deepening existing inequalities both within and between countries.
On whether economic diversification in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is boosting food security, Laborde said: “A move towards a more diversified economy and enhancing the ability to rely on various sources of food supplies are key drivers of food security resilience and stability.”
“GCC countries have managed to shield themselves from major shocks, primarily due to their high income levels and ability to cover import costs without difficulty,” he explained.
Regarding the FAO’s outlook on reducing global hunger, Laborde insisted that ending hunger will require a significant increase in funding.
When asked for suggestions on how governments could enhance food security, Laborde said: “Despite global figures remaining stable, improvements are seen in Asia and Latin America, showing that the right policies and conditions can reduce numbers.”
“Hunger is not inevitable. Investing in social safety nets to protect the poor, along with making structural changes to food systems to be more environmentally friendly, resilient, and equitable, is the right path forward,” emphasized Laborde.
The annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, published on Wednesday, said about 733 million people faced hunger in 2023 – one in 11 people globally and one in five in Africa.
Hunger and food insecurity present critical challenges affecting millions globally.
The annual report, released this year during the G20 Global Alliance for Hunger and Poverty Task Force ministerial meeting in Brazil, warns that the world is significantly lagging in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2—ending hunger by 2030.
It highlights that global progress has regressed by 15 years, with malnutrition levels comparable to those seen in 2008-2009.
Despite some progress in areas like stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, a troubling number of people still face food insecurity and malnutrition, with global hunger levels rising.