Unless decisive steps are swiftly taken to rein in
Israeli-Palestinian violence, there is a “significant risk” that
the situation could deteriorate, the top UN Middle East official
told the Security Council on Tuesday.
“The choice is clear,” said Tor Wennesland, the UN Special
Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO). “Either continue
along the downward spiral of violence and provocations leading to
a political vacuum or turn towards constructive
dialogue linked to concrete actions that can create
hope and a political horizon.”
‘Alarming spike’
Urging Israeli and Palestinian leaders to “put on the brakes and
rethink the options”, he warned of an “alarming spike in
violence” across the northern and central occupied West
Bank that has led to numerous Palestinian and Israeli casualties
over the past 13 days, since the submission of his latest monthly
report, covering the period between mid-May and mid-June.
Providing a grim snapshot of current hotspots, he said military
operations – including airstrikes in the West Bank – clashes,
attacks, and extremely high levels of
settler-related violence, have continued
and intensified dramatically.
In addition, he reported the use of more sophisticated weapons by
Palestinians, including an advanced improvised explosive device
and rockets launched towards Israel.
‘Settler rampage’
From 20 to 25 June, Israeli settlers perpetrated 28 violent
attacks against Palestinian villages, he said, adding that the
“settler rampage” had caused one death and
dozens of injuries.
Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to
protect Palestinians and their property in the
Occupied Territory and to ensure prompt, independent, impartial,
and transparent investigations into all acts of violence, he
said.
“The deepening occupation, settlement
expansion, the high levels of violence against civilians,
including acts of terror, and, critically,
the absence of a political horizon are
rapidly eroding hope among Palestinians and Israelis, and
particularly among youth, that a resolution of the conflict is
achievable,” he said.
‘Extremely dangerous’
“The speed and intensity of the security deterioration we are
witnessing on the ground are extremely
dangerous,” he said.
“The unfolding events seriously challenge broader stability and
undermine the Palestinian Authority,” he added.
While the ceasefire following the Gaza escalation in May has
held, there is a constant risk that events in the West
Bank could spill over into the Gaza Strip,
he said.
Aid consequences
Equally concerning are the Palestinian Authority’s
fiscal and institutional challenges, exacerbated by
funding shortages, including for UN agencies, that impact the
delivery of crucial basic services. This may further aggravate
the deterioration of the situation on the ground, he cautioned.
“Let there be no doubt, neither the Palestinian Authority nor the
UN will be able to provide humanitarian assistance without donors
urgently stepping up financial support,” he warned.
Regarding other significant developments, he said that the UN’s
Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, resumed after four
months full service delivery in the West Bank, including
at 42 health clinics and 90 schools serving more than 40,000
children. The disruption was due to a work dispute with the local
staff union and a strike, he noted.
‘We must urgently act’
But, the ongoing security situation remains a grave challenge, he
said.
“We must urgently act collectively to stop the violence,” he
said. “At the same time, it is crucial to bring the
parties back onto a path that addresses the political
issues driving the current dynamics, so that a
process to resolve the core issues can begin.”
