Geneva, 11 September 2024 (SPS) - Participants in a conference organized by the Geneva Group, supporting Western Sahara, called for the urgent need to expedite the resolution of the ongoing military occupation in both Western Sahara and Palestine, based on law and international legitimacy. They warned of the "danger" of the current explosive situation in the regions due to the repression, aggression, and extermination policies pursued by the occupying forces, namely the Kingdom of Morocco and the Zionist entity.
During the conference held as part of the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, titled "Occupation and Self-Determination in Palestine and Western Sahara," South African Ambassador and spokesperson for the group, Mxolisi Nkosi, stated that "given the alignment between the struggles of the two peoples, the Geneva Group for Western Sahara also considers itself a group supporting Palestine." He added that the group is "determined to advocate for both causes with the same resolve until both peoples achieve their inalienable right to independence."
Spanish international law professor Juan Soroita highlighted the historical context of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara, emphasizing the violations of both parties against international law and humanitarian law concerning self-determination, human rights violations, and the refusal to implement international resolutions.
Polisario Front lawyer Manuel Devers, addressed various similarities between the two causes and the manifestations of rebellion and arrogance exhibited by the occupying forces of Morocco and the Zionist entity, which are based on the "desire to exterminate both peoples as a necessary condition for completing the military occupation of the regions."
The Polisario Front representative in Switzerland and at the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Ubbi Bushraya Bashir, affirmed in his remarks that the current international context of the Sahrawi and Palestinian struggles "makes organizing the conference under this title a significant and timely initiative."
The Sahrawi diplomat called for "intensifying efforts to support both peoples in this crucial phase of their national struggle based on international law and the established right of both peoples to self-determination and independence, while overcoming the tensions in the region, whether in the Middle East due to the ongoing Zionist aggression against occupied Palestinian territories, or in North Africa due to the collapse of the ceasefire following Morocco's breach of the ceasefire agreement and the return to armed struggle."
Related blogs
