Mr President, the UK is deeply concerned by recent
violence in Gaza and southern Israel, including
civilian casualties. We must do everything we can to
avoid another devastating war, which would compound the
already awful humanitarian and security conditions
faced by ordinary Gazans, and further threaten the
security of Israeli border communities.
We urge restraint from all parties and welcome the
return to calm in recent days. We strongly support the
mediation efforts of the international community led by
Egypt and the UN and urge continued talks aimed at
finding an enduring peace in Gaza under the control of
the Palestinian Authority.
Mr President, we strongly condemn the firing of
projectiles from Gaza towards Israel. Our Ambassador to
Israel visited communities affected by the rocket fire
on Tuesday. Hamas and other factions must end such
attacks immediately. The recent deaths on both sides of
the conflict are alarming.
In order to protect civilians it is crucial a ceasefire
is agreed and maintained as part of a political process
that sees the Palestinian Authority return to Gaza and
the lifting of restrictions on the Gazan people and
economy. As Mr Mladenov has made clear today, no effort
must be spared to reverse the spiral of violence.
Mr President, the cycle of conflict in Gaza has gone on
for too long, and the civilian populations in Gaza and
Israel have suffered the consequences. We call on
Hamas, the Palestinian Authority and Israel not to take
any action that could lead to a further deterioration.
We remain deeply concerned about humanitarian situation
in Gaza and have frequent discussions with the
Government of Israel about the need to ease
restrictions on Gaza. The UK welcomes the recent
efforts to improve the humanitarian situation. In
particular, we welcome the increase in electricity
supply from 4-6 hours a day to 12 hours a day, and
Palestinian Authorities’ continued payment of salaries
and other costs. We likewise welcome, as others have
done, recent contributions to close the funding gap of
UNRWA and reiterate the UK’s support for the agency.
Political resolve is required to improve the situation
in Gaza. The reconciliation agreement of October 2017
was a good start, but now all the Palestinian factions
must work together to implement an agreement. We
strongly support the efforts of Egypt, the UN Special
Coordinator and the wider international community to
achieve this.
The UK will continue to urge the parties to prioritise
progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza
and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure
Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery. Such a
durable solution is the only way to improve the living
standards of ordinary Palestinians in Gaza and
guarantee Israel’s long-term security.
Mr President, in conclusion, the people of Israel and
Gaza have the right to live without constant fear for
their security. Both peoples have the right to live
safely in peace. Urgent steps must be taken now to
address the underlying causes of the conflict. It is in
everyone’s interest for peace and stability to prevail
in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Now
more than ever, we need a political process that
delivers a two-state solution.
