Statement by Ambassador at the UN Security Council
meeting on Gaza.
"Thank you, President, and I join others in thanking
Under-Secretary-General Griffiths and Assistant-Secretary Brands
Kehris for their briefings today.
President, I have three points to make today.
Firstly, the UK firmly rejects any proposal that Palestinians
should be resettled outside Gaza, including proposals from
members of the Israeli government. Our views and concerns are
shared by our allies and partners that Gazans should not be
subject to forcible displacement or relocation from Gaza.
Second, the UK is alarmed by record levels of extremist settler
violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and its
devastating impact. According to OCHA, since 7
October at least 198 Palestinian households, including 586
children, have been displaced following an increase in extremist
settler violence and access restrictions. We call on the
Government of Israel not only condemn settler violence but also
to take direct action against those responsible for it, and hold
them accountable, and ensure that Palestinian civilians are
protected.
We also continue to call on Israel to cease immediately all
settlement activities in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem and its
Lower Aqueduct, and to respect in their absolute entirety all
legal obligations. We reiterate our longstanding position that
settlements are illegal under international law, and that
settlement expansions hinder us from creating the conditions for
a durable peace in Israel, the West Bank and across all the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Third, the UK is intensely focused on ensuring more aid gets into
Gaza. The current levels are woefully inadequate for the
deepening humanitarian crisis. We are deeply concerned that the
World Food Programme are reporting that nine out of ten families
are going with less than one meal a day.
We want to see a ceasefire, but this must be a sustainable
ceasefire. One that will last. A sustainable ceasefire means one
in which Hamas no longer poses a threat to Israel’s security, aid
is delivered without hindrance, and Palestinians can return to
the areas of Gaza from which they have been displaced.
Ahead of a permanent ceasefire, we want to see immediate and
sustained humanitarian pauses. This will allow for hostages to be
released and more aid to enter Gaza. In accordance with Security
Council Resolution 2720, we call on Israel to allow for higher
volumes of humanitarian aid, through as many routes as possible.
In conclusion Mr President, we call again for the release of
hostages taken on 7 October, for measures to allow
humanitarian aid in to meet the desperate humanitarian need in
Gaza, for a sustainable ceasefire with a political horizon
towards a two-state solution. And we remain committed to
working with Israelis, Palestinians, and all parties in the
region and beyond to make this a reality.
I thank you."
