Maldives’ Foreign Minister, Dr Abdullah Khaleel, delivered a searing speech at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), condemning Israel’s war in Gaza and accusing world powers of enabling atrocities.
Dr Khaleel said failing to recognise Palestinians as equal human beings was “the shame of the century” and warned that famine must never be used as a weapon of war. He said more than 66,000 civilians – mostly women and children – had been killed, describing scenes of “people killed while begging for food” and “mothers left holding lifeless babies.”
He accused Israel of “wilfully, shamefully, and repeatedly” violating international law, defying Security Council resolutions, ignoring the International Court of Justice and sanctioning the International Criminal Court. He argued that the war was being sustained by weapons and financing from countries that publicly claim to defend human rights.
Dr Khaleel warned that the global order is being eroded, citing the breakdown of the ban on conquest, respect for sovereignty, and the doctrine of multilateralism. “If this erosion continues,” he said, “the question will no longer be whether it will happen again, but who will be the next victim.” He also condemned Israeli strikes beyond Gaza, including attacks on Qatar, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Tunisia and Iran, saying they prove that “power speaks louder than law” when borders are violated.
Calling UNGA80 a “repair moment,” he urged member states to prioritise reform of the UN Security Council, including a rotating seat for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), more transparency, and accountability in decision-making. “We need a Council that does not hide under the threat of veto,” he said. He also noted that the UN has never had a female Secretary-General and argued that “the time to correct that is now.”
Turning to the climate crisis, Dr Khaleel criticised major emitters for avoiding responsibility and warned that small island states like the Maldives face rising debt and shrinking fiscal space. He called for faster debt restructuring, scaled-up concessional finance, and predictable climate funding aligned with adaptation needs. He welcomed the upcoming entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement and highlighted the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda as a roadmap for small island nations to achieve resilient prosperity.
The minister closed with a stark warning: either the world restores respect for international law and multilateralism, or it must accept a future where “might makes right.” “If the rules stand, the small can stand,” he said. “And if the small can stand, all of us will stand taller.”
