Statement by H.E. Jayantha Jayasuriya, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations
80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Agenda Item 35: Question of Palestine

Madam President,

Sri Lanka is grateful for this opportunity to address the General Assembly on the Question of Palestine. We reaffirm our unwavering support for a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace grounded in international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

At the outset, I convey the appreciation of the delegation of Sri Lanka to Ambassador Coly Seck of Senegal, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and Vice-Chairs of the Committee, for its valuable work during the period under review. I also thank Ambassador Ahmad Faisal Muhamad of Malaysia, the Rapporteur of the Committee, for his statement to introduce the Committee's report.

Sri Lanka also speaks here from the perspective of its role as Chair of the Special Committee mandated by this Assembly to monitor the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and the occupied Syrian Golan.

Madam President,

As a country that was impacted by the scourge of terrorism for over three decades, Sri Lanka condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. At the same time, Sri Lanka has continued to express its grave concern at the continuing violence in the Middle East and the ceaseless attacks against civilians in Gaza. The immense loss of civilian lives, the destruction and suffering caused over the past few years is unacceptable and unjustifiable. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of the dead are women and children.

The humanitarian emergency in Gaza continues to inflict profound suffering. Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed; families displaced again and again; hospitals, schools and shelters rendered unsafe. We must not allow the frequency of our debates to numb us to the human devastation behind the numbers - families, homes and communities that suffer.

Even with the current ceasefire, the situation remains fragile. Restrictions on humanitarian access, intermittent strikes, and rising tensions in the West Bank, show how unstable the situation remains. Sri Lanka reiterates that all parties must fully comply with international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and ensure sustained, unimpeded humanitarian assistance.

Madam President,

Sri Lanka has taken note of recent deliberations in the Security Council, including the adoption of resolution 2803 (2025). We welcome all efforts that maintain the ceasefire, expand humanitarian access, and create space for diplomacy.

There is no room for ambiguity. Transitional arrangements must be guided by clear and credible timelines - for humanitarian access, for the return of Palestinian governance structures, and for the withdrawal of occupying forces.

Sri Lanka affirms that international stabilization forces or interim governance structures must be rooted in international law, reflect the will of the Palestinian people, and lead toward a political settlement that guarantees their inalienable right to self-determination and statehood. We also recall recent advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice in this regard.
Madam President,

The only sustainable path to peace remains a negotiated two-State solution, based on relevant UN resolutions, pre-1967 borders, and the establishment of an independent, sovereign State of Palestine living side by side with Israel in peace and prosperity. Such a path requires the participation and consent of the Palestinian people; it cannot be imposed without their consent.

As Chair of the Special Committee, Sri Lanka has consistently observed that the continuation of occupation, settlement expansion, and displacement further diminishes prospects for peace. We urge all parties to refrain from measures that alter the legal status of the occupied territory.

Madam President,

Sri Lanka’s position remains firm. We stand for diplomacy, for the rule of law, and for a political solution that ends the occupation ensures Palestinians’ right to statehood andallows both the peoples in Palestine and Israel to live in dignity and security. Let this Assembly reaffirm that attaining sustainable peace demands a just and comprehensive settlement that restores the full rights of the Palestinian people.

Thank you.