11 MAY 2020
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
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Question: Okay. Thank you. Well, the Elders today issued a statement regarding the Israeli plan to annex part of the West Bank. I mean, I have been following the action of the world Powers regarding this plan. The only person who did not issue a clear‑cut statement representing the United Nations at the highest level is the Secretary‑General. Why is that? I mean, with this major development, it’s not something like bulldozing a house, as the Israeli did this morning in this village of Kobar, or shutting down a clinic in East Jerusalem. This is annexing part of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley. So, why there is no clear‑cut, concrete statement from the Secretary‑General? I will keep asking that again… sorry.
Spokesman: Abdelhamid, you and I are going to travel on parallel roads on this for quite some time. I think, if you look at Mr. [Nickolay] Mladenov’s latest statement to the Security Council, I think the Secretary‑General’s position against any annexation is very, very clear for all to see. All right. Any other questions? I guess you did have the last question. All right. See you all tomorrow. Bye.
For information media. Not an official record.
Document Sources: Elders (The), Secretary-General, United Nations Department of Global Communications, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO)
Subject: Annexation, NGOs/Civil Society
Publication Date: 11/05/2020
URL source: https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/db200511.doc.htm