Tangible steps “can, and must, be taken” to urgently reverse
the “negative trajectory” of the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict and revive the peace process, a senior United
Nations envoy told the Security Council on
Tuesday.
“Against the backdrop of the complete political
deadlock of the Middle East peace process and
the lack of any perspective to revive it,”
Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for
the Middle East Peace Process, said that “the rising specter
of violence in the West Bank and Gaza” threatens a regional
escalation.
Warning again of repercussions over the lack of a political
horizon towards resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the
basis of the two-state solution, he said that unilateral moves on
the ground, terror attacks and a multitude of other factors risk
are creating “an explosive mix” that can only be resolved through
strong leadership returning to the table for “meaningful
negotiations towards a sustainable and just peace”.
Mr. Mladenov, who briefed the Council via
videconference from Jerusalem, elaborated on the need
for “a leadership that can stand up to extremists and
radicals and uphold what the international community, the
Security Council and the region have said so many times
– that lasting peace can only be based on the idea that Israelis
and Palestinians live side-by-side in peace, security and mutual
recognition, as both peoples have a legitimate and historic right
to their own statehood”.
Straying from a framework based on UN resolutions and mutual
agreements will lead to “inevitable radicalization”, stressed
Mr. Mladenov.
Giving up on the goal of a peaceful
resolution to the conflict would lead to
an alternative “too horrible to fathom.”
A sobering recap
In the past month, there has been an increase of violent
incidents, including settler-related offenses in the West Bank
and continuing tensions in and around Gaza, including in
Jerusalem’s Old City, a settlement south of Bethlehem and one
northwest of Ramallah, the Special Coordinated flagged.
“I unequivocally condemn all attacks on Palestinian and Israeli
civilians”, he asserted, calling the attacks “cowardly and
dangerous” and saying that they “serve only those who want
escalation”.
“Violence and terrorism must be condemned by all,” he
stated.
He also spoke of Israel’s policy of destroying Palestinian
property, which is incompatible “with its obligations under
international humanitarian law.”
He said the expansion of settlements not only “has no legal
effect and constitutes a flagrant violation of international law”
but “by advancing the effective annexation of the West Bank, it
undermines the chances for establishing a
Palestinian state”.
Gaza tensions
Despite the relative calm over the past two months, Gaza
remains “very fragile as violent incidents continue”, the UN
envoy indicated.
He updated the Council that during the reporting period, among
other things, “some eleven rockets and mortars were launched from
Gaza towards Israel”, two of which caused material damage. And in
retaliation, Israel temporarily reduced a fuel transfer to Gaza
by half, reducing the Strips’ energy supply.
Meanwhile, weekly protests at the perimeter fence
continued with some violent activities. Although
fewer incendiary kites, balloons and other devices were launched
from Gaza compared to the last reporting period, at least eleven
fires were reported.
“Israel must calibrate its use of force and use lethal force only
as a last resort, and only in response to imminent threats of
death or serious injury”, said Mr. Mladenov. “Hamas
must prevent the indiscriminate launching of rockets and mortars
towards Israel”, and ensure that “protests at the fence
remain peaceful and prevent provocations”.
Raising the alarm on health
A lack of medical resources has prompted the
UN envoy to also “raise the alarm on the deteriorating situation
in the health sector in Gaza”.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in July, 49 per cent
of essential medications and 26 per cent of medical disposables
were reported to be at less than one-month supply at Gaza’s
Central Drug Store.
And during Deputy Special Coordinator Jamie
McGoldrick’s visit to a Gaza hospital over the winter, he had
heard about the large number of health issues that Palestinian
women are facing as a result of the humanitarian
crisis.
“Doctors highlighted the scarcity of cancer drugs in Gaza and the
unpredictable referral system for treatment outside Gaza as
serious challenges” detailed Mr. Mladenov, adding that the
UN is committed “to working with all parties, including
donors, to prevent a health crisis in the Gaza
Strip”.
Over the past month Israel continued to
impose movement and access constraints
on UN national staff and international non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) in Gaza rendering them unable to leave
the Strip.
“Israel must significantly improve the movement and access of
goods and people to and from Gaza as a step towards the lifting
of the closures, in line with Security Council resolution 1860
(2009)”, he stated.
