Minister Shahin Meets Belgian Minister of Climate and Environment on the Sidelines of the Seventh Session of the UN Environment Assembly

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Varsen Shahin, met today, Thursday, with the Belgian Minister of Climate and Environment Jean-Luc Crucke, on the sidelines of the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly. The meeting was attended by the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Kenya and Permanent Observer to UN organizations, Hazem Shabat.

During the meeting, Minister Shahin outlined the scale of the environmental catastrophe in the Gaza Strip as a result of the genocide, including the destruction of infrastructure, sewage and water networks, the mixing of drinking water with contaminated water, and the spread of diseases. She also highlighted the environmental violations in the West Bank resulting from attacks by settler militias, including the cutting and burning of ancient olive trees.

Minister Shahin stressed the urgent need for immediate international action to address the humanitarian and environmental emergency and to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people. She emphasized the importance of adopting a comprehensive recovery plan for the situation in Gaza with broad international support.

For his part, Crucke reaffirmed Belgium’s support for the implementation of the two-state solution, the achievement of a just and lasting peace, and support for reconstruction and recovery efforts.