A senior United Nations official has called on the global community
to remain committed to the two-state solution in the Middle East
peace process, urging efforts to establish an environment conducive
to the return of negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.
“It is essential that we prevent further collapse of the
foundations that must underpin any future agreement,” Nikolay
Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace
Process, told the Security
Council on Monday.
As to the situation in Gaza, Mr. Mladenov underlined the
necessity for Palestinian factions to urgently “engage in
earnest” with regional efforts to bring the enclave under the
full control of the Palestinian Government.
He also called upon Israel to “recognize that Gaza is about to
explode” and prevent that from happening, by relaxing and
ultimately lifting closures to help normalize the lives of people
living there.
The Special Coordinator’s briefing comes against the backdrop of
some of the fiercest fighting since the 2014 Gaza conflict.
The fighting, between 11-13 November, was sparked off by an
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operation inside the Gaza Strip – in
which a local Hamas al-Qassam Brigades commander, one IDF
official, and six other Palestinians were killed. In the
hostilities, some 450 rockets and mortars were fired at Israel by
militants in Gaza, and in response, Israel carried out airstrikes
on 160 militant targets, including a Hamas-affiliated TV station
and a hotel.
Overall, since his last
report to the Security Council, 31 Palestinians –
including four children – were killed in Gaza, and a further four
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. One IDF official was
killed during the 11 November operation, said Mr. Mladenov.
The Israeli settlement activity also continued to advance,
“eating away at the viability of a contiguous future Palestinian
state,” he added, reiterating that “all settlement activities are
illegal under international law, and an obstacle to peace and
must immediately cease.”
The Special Coordinator also told the 15-member Security Council
that in late October, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
Central Council held its 30th session in Ramallah, where it
issued a statement, reaffirming its recent decisions to suspend
recognition of the State of Israel until the latter recognizes
the State of Palestine, end security coordination in all its
forms, and disengage economically from Israel.
A follow-up committee chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas was
established to discuss implementing these decisions, he said.
Humanitarian front
On the humanitarian side, improved flow of donor-supplied fuel
has resulted in the greatest supply of electricity since March
last year, with immediate impacts: increased water supply, better
hospital services, and power for children to study, Mr. Mladenov
informed the Security Council.
However, alongside the improvements, structural problems
affecting Gaza, driven by years of “crippling closures” and Hamas
control, remain, he added.
