RAMALLAH, September 21, 2025 (WAFA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Varsen Aghabekian said on Sunday that Palestine stands at the threshold of a significant and eventful week, with the international community turning its attention to the Palestinian cause.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Ramallah, Aghabekian emphasized that the Palestinian government's top priorities at this stage are ending the genocide and starvation in Gaza, preventing forced displacement, and ensuring protection for the Palestinian people.
She noted that the international community is increasingly united in its support for Palestinian rights, and that Palestinian diplomacy is focused on mobilizing the broadest possible backing for these rights.
The Foreign Minister announced that a number of countries are expected to recognize the State of Palestine in the coming two days, describing such recognition as a legal and natural right that carries a message of hope to the Palestinian people for a free and sovereign state.
She said the move also reflects international support for the Palestinian leadership and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, as well as for the global camp that believes in peace and the two-state solution.
Aghabekian stressed that international recognition of the State of Palestine affirms that Israel has no sovereignty over Palestinian land. She expressed gratitude to the countries that have already recognized Palestine and those preparing to do so, urging all others to follow suit.
“The occupation is the root cause of instability in the region and the suffering of the Palestinian people,” she said. “It must come to an end.” The minister noted that 149 countries now recognize the State of Palestine.
She thanked the countries that have already recognized Palestine and those about to do so, urging others to join them. “The occupation is the source of instability and suffering in the region and beyond. It must end,” she reiterated.
Aghabekian also called on the international community to publicly expose and confront Israel’s crimes, stating that silence from some governments can only be interpreted as complicity. She urged the world to take decisive action to halt the destruction, genocide, and mass killings being carried out against the Palestinian people.
She stressed that the genocide in Gaza is unfolding in parallel with ongoing aggression and violations across the West Bank, revealing Israel’s true intention to keep the region in a state of escalating tension.
Responding to a question about threats surrounding the wave of recognitions, Aghabekian said these threats are tied to the international expectations outlined in the New York Declaration, which calls on states to take practical steps to deter the occupation.
She emphasized that these recognitions are expanding and strengthening international support for the Palestinian cause, especially as they come from influential states with political weight.
Regarding plans for Gaza in the post-war period, Aghabekian affirmed that any proposal must include the Palestinian National Authority as the sole legitimate body with the right to govern the Gaza Strip.
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