The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
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Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the UN there, Lynn Hastings, visited the Jenin refugee camp on Saturday, joined by representatives of a number of Member States. Our humanitarian partners have concluded an initial damage assessment following last week’s operation by Israeli forces, indicating that 460 housing units were damaged in and around the camp. Of these, 70 housing units were destroyed or otherwise rendered uninhabitable. At least 40 families remain displaced. The camp remains largely without running water, necessitating temporary solutions, which include water trucks. Humanitarian teams, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), are also providing emergency assistance, medical supplies and mental health support.
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Questions and Answers
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Question: Thank you. I wanted to ask a question on Jenin. So, the Secretary-General gave comments. The Israeli ambassador asked him to retract them about what happened in Jenin. Secretary-General hasn’t done that, as far as I know at this moment. And I’m just wondering, what are the political consequences of any for the Secretary-General to not act on that request? Does he have to get on the phone with the Israeli ambassador? Has he had discussion?
Spokesman: No. I’m not aware that he’s had a discussion with the ambassador. Maybe last week, I’m just not aware of it. I think Farhan [Haq] was pretty clear on Friday, when he said the Secretary-General stood by his statement. It is not the first time in history and even recent history that this Secretary-General has made a statement in which certain Member States have asked them to withdraw and he has not. He’s just stating what his opinion is.
Question: And if I can just ask one more. I was asked on Friday, but I’m going to try again. I know you weren’t here. The Secretary-General was asked at the stakeout whether or not he thought Israel had committed war crimes. He didn’t answer the question. Anything to add?
Spokesman: If he didn’t answer the question, I don’t think I will. But I think his position on the events that we have seen recently in Jenin, I think was made very clear in what he said to you. Other parts of the system may voice their opinion also in more legal terms. Abdelhamid?
Question: Thank you, Stéphane, and we’ll come back, I want to follow up with the diplomat’s visit to Jenin. On 18 April 2002, after the first destruction of the same refugee camp by Israel, Terje Roed-Larsen, the then Special Envoy of the SG and the Middle East Peace Coordinator, visited the camp. And he said that what he had seen is a brutality beyond imagination. This is an earthquake; that’s what he said. Now, Tor Wennesland, he didn’t visit Jenin. He didn’t visit Turmus Ayya, and he didn’t visit Huwara, while other diplomats do. Why he doesn’t take a step further and go see for himself, being the supreme representative of the United Nations?
Spokesman: Listen, I think I will leave the analysis, the compare and contrast to you and your journalist’s colleague. I think Mr. Wennesland has been extremely vocal and extremely clear and the whole UN system, I think, has been extremely clear, as well. Okay. I will get our guests, and so I’ll ask you to stay in your seats.
For information media. Not an official record.
Document Sources: Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Secretary-General, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO)
Subject: Armed conflict, Living conditions, Refugee camps
Publication Date: 10/07/2023
URL source: https://press.un.org/en/2023/db230710.doc.htm