Maldives vice president tells UN that Israel's actions in Gaza 'must end'

The vice president of the Maldives, Hussain Mohamed Latheef, addressed the United Nations to call for an end to what he described as Israel's actions in Gaza, urging the international community to act to stop them.

In his remarks, Latheef called for an end to Israeli occupation and the expansion of settlements, positions that align with longstanding Maldivian foreign policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A call for full UN membership

Latheef also urged that Palestine be granted full membership at the United Nations, a step that has been a longstanding goal of the Palestinian Authority and its supporters but has faced obstacles at the UN Security Council, where such a bid would require approval that has previously been blocked.

The Maldives has historically taken a strong stance in support of Palestinian statehood and has been vocal in international forums about the humanitarian situation in Gaza throughout the ongoing conflict.

Israel has consistently rejected accusations that its military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, maintaining that its operations are aimed at dismantling Hamas's military capabilities following the group's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. The characterisation of the conflict remains sharply contested internationally, with some governments, legal scholars and human rights organisations describing Israel's actions as genocide, while Israel and its allies dispute that characterisation.

The remarks add to a broader wave of statements from various governments at the UN calling for changes in the international response to the conflict in Gaza.