The recent agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates
has the potential to change dynamics across the Middle East, the
UN’s top envoy in the region told the Security Council on
Tuesday, urging Palestinian and Israeli leaders to re-engage in
efforts to resolve their protracted conflict.
In his monthly briefing, UN Special Coordinator for the
Middle East Peace Process Nikolay Mladenov said
the Secretary-General had welcomed the agreement
reached between Israel and the United Arab Emirates that
normalizes relations between the two countries and stops Israel’s
plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
“I hope it will inspire leaders on all sides to re-engage
constructively in meaningful negotiations to resolve the Israeli
Palestinian conflict,” he said, stressing that Israel’s
commitment to suspend annexation removes an immediate threat to
regional stability.
To be sure, annexation would constitute a “most serious”
violation of international law, he said, close the door to a
renewal of negotiations and destroy the prospect of a viable
Palestinian State and the two-State solution.
Two-State formula only path forward
Only a two-State solution, in which Israel and Palestine live
side-by-side in peace, security and mutual recognition, can lead
to sustainable peace, he said.
It is time to redouble efforts, reach out more actively than ever
to leaders in the Middle East, and for Palestinian and Israeli
leaders to re-engage constructively.
“Today is not the time to despair about the Palestinian cause,”
the Special Coordinator assured. “Annexation plans have been
stopped.”
Gaza’s distress
Yet, the appeal comes as conditions in Gaza& continue to
worsen. The ceasefire brokered by the United Nations and Egypt –
in place since August 2018 – must be reaffirmed, Mr. Mladenov
said, as militant activity, rocket fire and growing humanitarian
needs inside the Strip are rapidly eroding existing arrangements.
An economy in freefall, more than a decade of Hamas rule and
COVID-related restrictions preventing the free movement of
workers ;have only compounded the suffering. And in the absence
of cooperation between the Palestinian Authority and Israel,
infrastructure projects have stalled. “Jobs have been lost,” he
said.
Mr. Mladenov also noted that in response to the sharp rise in the
number of incendiary balloons, on 11 August, Israel limited the
transfer of some goods and halted the transfer of construction
materials through the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza.
On 12 August, Israeli authorities stopped all fuel deliveries
until further notice, including donor-funded fuel. “As a result,
the Gaza Power Plant has shut down, sharply reducing electricity
provision to three hours per day. This is severely impacting
critical infrastructure, including sewage treatment and provision
of clean drinking water,” he stated.
The United Nations is deeply engaged in efforts to mitigate the
economic and humanitarian consequences of the Palestinian
Authority’s decision to halt all coordination with Israel in
response to the threat of annexation.
Home demolitions in West Bank
In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Special
Envoy pointed to an increase in violent crime within Palestinian
communities, as well as violent incidents involving Palestinian
Security Forces and civilians.
Israeli authorities, meanwhile, demolished 72 Palestinian-owned
structures in Area C and East Jerusalem, displacing 89 people.In
addition, 11 Palestinians self-demolished their structures to
avoid additional fines.
“This is the stark reality of the current situation,” he warned.
Without resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, regional
peace will not be complete.
“The legitimate national aspiration of five million Palestinians
living in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and
Gaza cannot be ignored,” he said.
