My speech at the opening of the European Palestinian Network Conference in Copenhagen, January 31, 2026
Check against delivery
Dear all
The recipients of these rewards are testament of the extremely horrific living conditions for the entire people of Palestine.
As expressed by UNRWA the other day – Gaza is also the most dangerous place on earth for relief workers and journalists.
We are faced with an immense human tragedy and flagrant violation of all international law.
We urgently appeal to European and other governments, to react more strongly against the genocide in Gaza and the violent ethnic cleansing on the West Bank and in occupied East Jerusalem.
There is a huge risk that governments, media and the general public cast their attention elsewhere, because the total war is on pause, Israeli hostages are back, and rapid and concerning developments elsewhere on the globe absorb the attention.
But real peace for Palestine is nowhere near – and justice, freedom and self-determination for the Palestinians are even further away.
Two million people in Gaza are caught in muddied ruins, in ravaged tents or under the open sky, without the promised supply of food, water, medicine, shelter – and with no prospect of a decent life in sight. At the same time, the number of illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land on the West Bank is exploding.
Europe must call for full and rapid implementation of the so-called American peace plan for Gaza as it was approved and understood by the Security Council of the United Nations.
The peace plan is weak and vague. And even worse – it is not being implemented in the least.
The composition of the so-called Peace Council is extremely counter-productive for successful implementation. President Trump gives himself veto power and he has very close relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli prime minister was against the peace plan and will do whatever he can to maintain Israel’s iron grip on Gaza. He will try to stop any movement towards phase two in the peace plan. He openly says he will destroy any possibility of a Palestinian state. He continues the destruction of buildings and infrastructure in the major part of Gaza, still occupied by Israel. Netanyahu’s government is perpetrating the most lethal and dangerous terrorism by far, seen during the hundred years of fight over Palestine. And his most extremist coalition partners openly talk about driving the Palestinians out of Palestine.
That’s why we must call for the strongest international attention and pressure on the governments of Israel and the United States – from progressive forces inside both countries as well.
We must demand an immediate end to the random killing of Palestinians in Gaza – which continues even after the declaration of the cease fire.
We must demand also an immediate end to all the Israeli restrictions and limitations to both local and all international relief efforts. The open warfare against UNRWA and other UN organizations must end. All supplies and equipment for decent survival must be given immediate free access.
Basic security in Gaza can only be reached with rapid deployment of the international peace force, paving the way for Israeli withdrawal from the occupied major part of the Gazan territory, demilitarisation of Hamas and the establishment of a civilian Palestinian administration and police force.
We must call for Arab and other Muslim as well as European countries to contribute to the peace force.
We appeal to Europe and the whole international community to keep up pressure to free the thousands of Palestinians who are detained in Israeli prisons and camps – without charges or unjustly convicted to excessive or lifelong imprisonment – among them Marwan Barghouti.
We need popular Palestinian leaders to be free, so they can contribute to a much-needed reconstruction of the Palestinian Authority into an elected and representative institution.
We must appeal for sanctions against trade with illegal Israeli settlements, against leading figures in the settlement movement and political and military leaders responsible for war crimes.
We must call on European governments to actively support and secure free access and free reporting for journalists to the Palestinian territories, so the cruel truth of genocide and destruction can be documented after years of determined efforts to keep free media away.
And let us never give up the demand from the overwhelming majority of member states in the United Nations for Palestinian statehood.
Speech held at The European Palestinian Network Conference in Copenhagen 31st of January, 2026