Baguio backs PH stands on Gaza conflict

City officials recently expressed their support for the stand of the Philippine government on the Israel-Palestine conflict in the Gaza strip.

Under Resolution No. 426, series of 2024, city legislators stated that the local government may be a small city in the country but the city still recognizes and upholds the rights of all human beings, especially their right to life, survival, and development.

The council noted that the ongoing conflict in the Gaza strip, West Bank, including the east of Jerusalem, between Israelis and Palestinians has claimed the lives of more than 30,000 people, 73 percent of whom are children and women, according to the Situation Report of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Further, the body stated that in any country or community, the children are deemed to be one of the pillars supporting the development or survival of the community or a country as they are the ones to succeed the present generation.

The body claimed that the war in the Gaza strip has focused attention once again on the search for solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Moreover, the solution favored by most of the world’s democracies and the United Nations has long been the two-step solution where the formula calls for two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side peacefully with security for both.

The council pointed out that in solidarity, the city government supports the call for a ceasefire in the armed conflicts between Israel, Hamas, Palestine and other militant groups in the area as the ongoing conflict will inevitably cause further meaningless loss of life, limb, and property.

It added that the ongoing conflict will also result in further hatred and massive destruction of properties and goods which will directly lead to poverty, famine, criminality, under development and other societal problems in the area.

The council stipulated that the Philippine government believes that this long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a pivotal deterrent for the peace and stability of the region, thus, a lasting resolution can only be achieved through comprehensive dialogues and negotiations anchored firmly on international law.

Earlier, the Philippine government expressed support to the efforts of the United Nations to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance and essential supplies to Palestinian civilians caught in the midst of the conflicts in the Gaza strip, and also continues to support the UN peacekeeping missions in the said area.

Copies of the approved resolution will be transmitted to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the United nations for information, guidance, ready reference and further needed action. Dexter A. See