{"id":156436,"date":"2018-07-24T13:45:26","date_gmt":"2018-07-24T13:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=156436"},"modified":"2020-07-22T00:50:49","modified_gmt":"2020-07-22T04:50:49","slug":"outbreak-of-new-israel-hamas-conflict-almost-a-certainty-special-coordinator-for-middle-east-peace-process-warns-security-council-press-release","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/outbreak-of-new-israel-hamas-conflict-almost-a-certainty-special-coordinator-for-middle-east-peace-process-warns-security-council-press-release\/","title":{"rendered":"Outbreak of New Israel-Hamas Conflict “Almost a Certainty”, Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process Warns Security Council – Press Release"},"content":{"rendered":"

8316TH MEETING (AM)
\nSC\/13433
\n24 JULY 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

video<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

United Nations, Egypt Behind Intensive Diplomatic Effort to Avert Fresh Military Confrontation, Says Nickolay Mladenov<\/strong><\/p>\n

The outbreak of a new conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip is \u201calmost a certainty\u201d unless the international community gets to work immediately to ease tensions on the ground, without losing sight of the broader aim of a sustainable peace, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council today.<\/p>\n

In a comprehensive briefing that opened the Council\u2019s quarterly open debate on the Middle East, including the question of Palestine, Nickolay Mladenov \u2014 speaking via videoconference from Jerusalem just hours after returning from Gaza \u2014 credited intensive preventative diplomacy by the United Nations and Egypt over the weekend with averting a fresh military confrontation between Israel and Hamas.<\/p>\n

But he warned: \u00a0\u201cUnless we begin in earnest the crucial work required to change the current deteriorating dynamics, another explosion is almost a certainty.\u201d \u00a0Progress, he added, will require de\u2011escalation and calm in Gaza; strengthened coordination with the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Egypt and the United Nations; and financial support \u2014 with the human dimension at the forefront of all efforts.<\/p>\n

He went on to report that the United Nations is closely monitoring the situation after the Israel Defense Force said it fired two missiles earlier today to shoot down a Syrian fighter jet which it claimed had infiltrated Israeli airspace.\u00a0 \u201cThese hostilities demonstrate a disturbing trajectory of increasingly frequent and dangerous confrontations,\u201d he said, calling on all parties to abide by the 1974\u00a0separation of forces agreement.<\/p>\n

In the ensuing debate, the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine said Israel is continuing its oppression of Palestinians.\u00a0 \u201cIt is imperative that the international community act urgently to prevent further assaults against Palestinian civilians\u201d and ensure the lifting of Israel\u2019s blockade, he emphasized, calling also for sustainable funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(UNRWA) after the United States announced that it would cut back its contribution to that entity.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s delegate said it is time for the Council to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization on a par with Al\u2011Qaida and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant\u00a0(ISIL\/Da\u2019esh).\u00a0 Twelve years since Hamas seized Gaza, peace in the region is a \u201cfigment of the imagination\u201d because Hamas values death over life, he said.\u00a0 He also noted his country\u2019s weekend rescue of \u201cWhite Helmets\u201d volunteers from Syria and the downing of the Syrian aircraft.<\/p>\n

The representative of the United States asked where Arab countries were in terms of encouraging Palestinian reconciliation, denouncing Hamas terrorism or supporting the compromises needed for peace.\u00a0 If they really do care, those countries would condemn Arab extremism and tell the Palestinian leadership that it looked foolish condemning a peace proposal it has yet to see.\u00a0 Arab leaders are afraid to tell them the truth, she stated, adding that it is time for regional States in particular to help Palestinians \u2014 rather than making speeches at United Nations Headquarters, thousands of miles away.<\/p>\n

Kuwait\u2019s representative, the sole Arab member of the Council, said his delegation holds Israel responsible for the escalation of violence and for systematic policies that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.\u00a0 Noting that the Gaza blockade has been in place for more than a decade, he reiterated the importance of ending the economic and humanitarian crisis facing the Palestinian people.<\/p>\n

Other speakers today reiterated the support of their respective Governments for a political resolution of the Israel\u2011Palestinian conflict based on the two\u2011State formula, while at the same time condemning terrorism and appealing for restraint.\u00a0 Many touched upon other Middle East issues, from the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen to the formation of a new Government in Lebanon and the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran\u2019s nuclear programme.<\/p>\n

Venezuela\u2019s representative, speaking for the Non\u2011Aligned Movement, faulted the United States for using its veto to block a draft resolution on Gaza in June.\u00a0 \u201cThe Security Council has been unable to fulfil its mandate on this important question due to the prevalence of particular interests of a permanent member,\u201d he said, also reiterating the bloc\u2019s grave concern over the lack of accountability for violations committed by Israel.<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s representative said the Israeli regime\u2019s brutalities have only intensified since the Council\u2019s last open debate on the Middle East, \u201cconfident in the unequivocal support of the United States and emboldened by the Council\u2019s inaction\u201d.\u00a0 Focusing on Israel\u2019s new \u201cJewish Nation\u2011State Law\u201d, he said it should be revoked for contravening the United Nations Charter, international law and the basic principles of international human rights law.<\/p>\n

Egypt\u2019s representative said the Israel\u2011Palestinian conflict persisted not for a lack of ideas or resolutions, but rather, of desire for serious negotiations.\u00a0 Stressing that Gazans faced an UNRWA crisis, confrontations with Israel\u2019s security forces and obstructed movement, he said Egypt, in solidarity, is working to lessen the humanitarian crisis, while it has no legal responsibility to open the Rafah border crossing. \u00a0He went on to call for resumed negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis based on clear, defined guidelines and principles taken from Council resolutions, notably resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016).\u00a0 \u201cThese principles will not leave,\u201d he said, adding that they reflected inalienable rights.<\/p>\n

Pakistan\u2019s representative, however, noted that some have called for both sides to exercise restraint, whereas the issue is a struggle between an occupied people and an occupying Power.\u00a0 \u201cGlossing over this incontrovertible reality would be tantamount to drawing moral equivalence between the acts of the aggressor and the aggrieved,\u201d she pointed out.\u00a0 Furthermore, recent Security Council inaction on the question of Palestine has led the General Assembly to take a more proactive role in order to fill the void, she said.<\/p>\n

Also speaking today were representatives of the Russian Federation, China, Kazakhstan, France, Peru, Netherlands, Equatorial Guinea, Poland, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Bolivia, Sweden, Lebanon, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Norway, Japan, Nigeria, Turkey, South Africa, Maldives, Cuba, Qatar, Jordan, Ecuador, Bangladesh\u00a0(on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation), Indonesia, Egypt, Malaysia, Morocco, Viet Nam and Brazil.<\/p>\n

Also delivering statements were representatives of the European Union, League of Arab States, and the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.<\/p>\n

The meeting began at 10:08 a.m. and ended at 3:32 p.m.<\/p>\n

Briefing<\/u><\/p>\n

NICKOLAY MLADENOV, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, briefed the Council via videoconference from Jerusalem, saying tensions between Syria and Israel continue to rise.\u00a0 Last Saturday, it took intensive preventative diplomacy by the United Nations and Egypt to avert a fourth military confrontation between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, where a fragile ceasefire has been taken for granted for four\u00a0years with no improvement in the underlying dynamics.\u00a0 Recalling that he travelled to Gaza on 15\u00a0July and again today in an urgent effort to de\u2011escalate tensions, he called on both sides to step back from the brink.\u00a0 \u201cThose who seek to provoke Israelis and Palestinians to war must not succeed,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n

The past month has seen one of the largest escalations since the 2014\u00a0Israel\u2011Gaza conflict, he said, noting that 19\u00a0Palestinians \u2013 including 7\u00a0children \u2014 were killed by the Israel Defense Forces, and more than 1,000\u00a0injured amid protests, clashes and air strikes.\u00a0 One Israeli soldier was killed by gunfire from Gaza, and four Israeli civilians and a soldier were moderately injured by rocket fire and a hand grenade, respectively.\u00a0 In the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian teenager was killed by the Israel Defense Forces during a search\u2011and\u2011arrest operation, while some 25\u00a0Palestinians and three\u00a0Israeli soldiers were injured, he said.<\/p>\n

Summarizing a series of recent incidents, including the launching of incendiary kites and balloons from Gaza and the closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing, he said there is no point in asking donors to continue funding humanitarian initiatives without a political horizon for the future.\u00a0 \u201cThis cannot be another futile exercise in conflict management and recurring humanitarian support,\u201d he added, while noting, however, that the situation is calming down, with 100,000\u00a0litres of fuel being allowed into Gaza, to be distributed by the United Nations, with priority accorded to hospitals and emergency services.<\/p>\n

Current efforts are focused on restoring unity between Gaza and the West Bank under a single democratic government and legal system and with all weapons under the control of legitimate national authorities, he continued.\u00a0 Achieving that goal, however, means avoiding escalation, alleviating human suffering, lifting restrictions on movement and granting access in accordance with Security Council resolution\u00a01860\u00a0(2009).\u00a0 He said that, to that end, he has been engaging the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and all stakeholders.\u00a0 These developments are taking place while the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(UNRWA) is in the midst of a financial crisis.\u00a0 The possible delay of the start of a new school year for 526,000\u00a0students in UNRWA schools was a particular concern.\u00a0 At present, the Agency requires $217\u00a0million to sustain its work in\u00a02018, he said, urging the swift mobilization of support to enable assistance to continue.<\/p>\n

Turning to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, he said Israeli authorities have continued the demolition and confiscation of Palestinian\u2011owned structures.\u00a0 Detailing the situation in Khan al Ahmar\u2011Abu al Helu and Abu Nuwar, he said they are among 18\u00a0communities located in, or adjacent to, the controversial E1 area where plans for new settlement construction would undermine the contiguity of a future Palestinian State.\u00a0 In that regard, he called anew on the Government of Israel to cease demolitions and other measures that contravene its obligations under international law.\u00a0 He added that implementation of a new law passed by the Knesset on 2\u00a0July, requiring the withholding of a portion of clearance revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, is expected to have a significant impact on the Authority\u2019s fiscal sustainability.<\/p>\n

Moving on to the situation in Syria, he said recent developments in the Golan have heightened tensions, including reports of shelling and tank fire in the area of separation.\u00a0 By 20\u00a0July, the Government of Syria \u2014 following its offensive to recapture the south that began on 19\u00a0June \u2014 was taking control of several areas in Quneitra Governorate, and between 19\u00a0and 23\u00a0July, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force\u00a0(UNDOF) observed a significant reduction in the number of tents set up for internally displaced persons \u2014 from approximately 2,205\u00a0to\u00a0765 \u2014 in its area of operation.\u00a0 As of 20\u00a0July, almost 203,500\u00a0Syrians remained internally displaced across the country\u2019s south\u2011west, mostly in the western area of Quneitra Governate, with Israeli authorities reportedly delivering food, tents, fuel, medicine and clothing.\u00a0 Their living conditions are dire and the United Nations has no cross\u2011border or cross\u2011line access to Quneitra, he said, stressing that gaining unimpeded humanitarian access is critical.<\/p>\n

Recalling Israel\u2019s interception of unmanned aerial vehicles launched from Syria earlier this month, and the targeting of Syrian military posts in retaliation, he said the United Nations is closely monitoring the situation after the Israel Defense Force said it fired two missiles earlier today to shoot down a Syrian fighter jet which it claimed had infiltrated Israeli airspace.\u00a0 \u201cThese hostilities demonstrate a disturbing trajectory of increasingly frequent and dangerous confrontations,\u201d he said, calling on all parties to abide by the 1974\u00a0separation of forces agreement and to support UNDOF\u2019s role in that regard.\u00a0 As for the situation in Lebanon, he said consultations and United Nations advocacy for the formation of a new Government are continuing, with the situation in the south of the country and along the \u201cBlue Line\u201d remaining calm overall.<\/p>\n

He concluded by underlining the importance of expediting collective efforts to address the perilous situation in Gaza.\u00a0 \u201cUnless we begin in earnest the crucial work required to change the current deteriorating dynamics, another explosion is almost a certainty,\u201d he warned, adding that progress will require de\u2011escalation and calm in Gaza; strengthened coordination with the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Egypt and the United Nations; and financial support.\u00a0 The human dimension must be at the forefront of all efforts, he said.\u00a0 Gazans deserve to live in freedom and dignity, he said, stressing that it is their right, not a privilege that can be taken hostage or granted and withheld by others who have no regard for their suffering.\u00a0 At the same time, Israelis living near Gaza deserve to be free from indiscriminate rocket, mortar and incendiary attacks that have plagued their lives for years.\u00a0 \u201cWe also cannot lose sight of the broader context,\u201d he said, warning that another missed opportunity could have disastrous consequences for an Israeli\u2011Palestinian peace based on a two\u2011State solution, with Gaza as an integral part of a future Palestinian State.<\/p>\n

Statements<\/u><\/p>\n

RIYAD H. MANSOUR, Permanent Observer for the\u00a0State of Palestine<\/u>, quoted the United States Declaration of Independence \u2014 \u201cWe hold these truths to be self\u2011evident, that all men are created equal\u201d \u2014 emphasizing that those truths and rights must be recognized for every nation \u201cwith no exception\u201d.\u00a0 Yet, over the last month, Israel continued its oppression of Palestinians, entrenching its illegal occupation and committing human rights violations.\u00a0 For seven decades, Palestinians have borne witness to decisions that denigrated their rights under the pretext of security and religious edicts.\u00a0 In the Gaza Strip, they endure a worsening humanitarian crisis, which has placed \u201cexplosive\u201d pressure on infrastructure and caused loss of livelihoods, all while Israel kills Palestinian civilians, he said.\u00a0 \u201cIt is imperative that the international community act urgently to prevent further assaults against Palestinian civilians\u201d and ensure the lifting of Israel\u2019s blockade, he emphasized, calling also for sustainable funding for UNRWA.<\/p>\n

Turning to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, he said Palestinians there endure Israel\u2019s policy of forced displacement and home demolitions, while its illegal settlement campaign continues unabated.\u00a0 Israel plans to forcibly transfer the Bedouin communities of Abu Nuwar and Khan al Ahmar, seeking to expand its settlements in that area in breach of international law, notably resolution\u00a02334 (2016), he noted.\u00a0 \u201cOne generation after the other, our people, despite their resilience and steadfastness, are confronted with the same fate,\u201d he said, adding that, in the absence of international action, the occupying Power continues its crimes without fear of consequence.\u00a0 He stressed the need to provide international protection for Palestinian civilians, saying he looks forward to the Secretary\u2011General\u2019s recommendations on ways and means to provide it, including through an international protection mechanism, pursuant to General Assembly resolution\u00a0ES-10\/20.<\/p>\n

Recalling Israel\u2019s recent adoption of its \u201cJewish Nation\u2011State Law\u201d, he said that its goal is not peace and a two\u2011State solution, but rather, annexation at the expense of a future Palestinian State.\u00a0 Quoting United States Peace Envoy Frank Lowenstein, he said that, rather than transferring power to the Palestinian side, Israel has transferred it to Israeli settlers.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the very definition of colonialism,\u201d he stressed, advising those who think the Palestinian tragedy is not that grave to look at the greater picture.\u00a0 \u201cThis is about the denial of the rights of an entire nation\u201d, a mass displacement and replacement of a people, and a policy of confinement for Palestinians and expansion for Jewish Israeli settlers.<\/p>\n

While agreeing that old ways and interim solutions do not work, and nor does postponing the consideration of core issues and ignoring international law, he advocated a peace plan centred on the established international terms of reference for a peaceful solution, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid Guiding Principles, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet road map, advanced through a collective process that holds the parties accountable.\u00a0 The Palestinian leadership pledges its commitment to peace, international law, a two\u2011State solution and non\u2011violence, as well as to cooperate with all international and regional efforts to advance a just peace.\u00a0 \u201cReunification of our people, land and political system are among our highest national priorities,\u201d he said.\u00a0 He pressed States to respect \u2014 and ensure respect for \u2014 international law, and commended Ireland\u2019s Parliament for banning settlement products originating from stolen Palestinian lands.<\/p>\n

DANNY DANON (Israel<\/u>), recalling that two missiles were launched at a Syrian fighter jet that was in Israel\u2019s airspace, warned Syria against breaching the 1974\u00a0separation of forces agreement.\u00a0 He recalled that Israel rescued 422\u00a0members of the \u201cWhite Helmets\u201d and their families over the weekend, approving their passage as a humanitarian gesture.\u00a0 Israel will continue to provide Syrians with food, medicine and clothing as it has since the war\u2019s earliest days, he said, pointing out that too many in the international community criticized his country\u2019s actions.\u00a0 Describing recent events, he said an Israeli Defense Force soldier was killed by a Hamas terrorist squad, while a 17\u2011year\u2011old girl was wounded in a rocket attack, and balloon explosives landed on the roof of a kindergarten.\u00a0 Some 7,400\u00a0acres in southern Israel \u2014 \u201chalf the size of Manhattan\u201d or eight Central Parks \u2014 have been destroyed by Hamas arson attacks, he added.<\/p>\n

Israel destroyed Hamas terror tunnels out of a need to protect its people, \u201cjust as you would do to protect yours\u201d, he continued.\u00a0 While Hamas is responsible for these acts, too many in the United Nations Headquarters have forgotten that it is a terrorist organization to blame for holding hostages in Gaza and working with both Hizbullah and the Iranian regime, he said.\u00a0 It is time for the Council to acknowledge that Hamas is no different from Al\u2011Qaida and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant\u00a0(ISIL\/Da\u2019esh), and to designate it as a terrorist organization, he emphasized.\u00a0 Founded in 1987\u00a0by Muslim Brotherhood members, Hamas sought to create a Palestinian State \u201cfrom river to the sea\u201d, preaching the destruction of Israel through suicide bombings, stabbings, kidnappings and other terrorist acts.<\/p>\n

He recalled that, in 2005, Israel\u2019s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon oversaw the withdrawal of the entire Israeli presence \u2014 every pre\u2011existing Jewish presence \u2014 in Gaza.\u00a0 Israel left the area so that Palestinians could govern themselves.\u00a0 \u201cThey had the opportunity,\u201d he said, pointing out that there are no settlements and no occupation.\u00a0 Hamas remained, however, and in\u00a02006, the group violently overthrew the Palestinian leadership, literally throwing Fatah leaders from rooftops, he said.\u00a0 It built countless terrorist attack tunnels to kill Israelis, he added, recalling that in\u00a02017, Israel\u2019s security forces stopped more than 400\u00a0terrorist attacks.\u00a0 Twelve years since Hamas seized Gaza, peace in the region is a \u201cfigment of the imagination\u201d because Hamas values death over life, he said.<\/p>\n

Recalling that Hizbullah terrorized northern Israel for years, he said Hamas widened its collaboration with that group, which also exploited civilians as human shields.\u00a0 Both enjoyed tremendous resources, equipment and training from Iran.\u00a0 In recent months, Hamas amplified its activities in Lebanon, he said, adding that his delegation previously warned the Council, but nothing has changed.\u00a0 Through that network and Iran\u2019s sponsorship, Hamas created unmanned aerial vehicle factories in southern Lebanon.\u00a0 Stressing that Iran provided $100\u00a0million annually to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, he said that just this month, at the so\u2011called \u201cWet Gun Powder\u201d festival, a commander of Iran\u2019s Al\u2011Quds force was to address all Gazans by live broadcast, he said, stressing that the ties between Hamas and Iran are stronger than ever.\u00a0 Indeed, Hamas has become a regional threat with the support of Iran, which also exerts control over Syria, providing $4\u00a0billion per year and thousands of fighters.<\/p>\n

Designating Hamas a terrorist organization would reaffirm the international community\u2019s obligation to combat terrorism, as it shares the goal of Al\u2011Qaida and ISIL of killing innocent people and disrupting peace, he continued.\u00a0 Recalling that Hamas still holds two Israeli civilians and the abducted bodies of two Israeli soldiers hostage, he said it has been more than four\u00a0years since the killing of the two\u00a0soldiers and the United Nations is responsible for ensuring their return for burial in Israel.\u00a0 Failure to do so would be in violation of international humanitarian law, as one cannot not demand humanitarian assistance for Gaza, which Israel supports, while refusing to ensure the right to return Israel\u2019s fallen.\u00a0 Hamas continues to disregard all the values that the international community holds dear \u2014 humanity, protection of civilians and respect for international law.\u00a0 Dozens of countries have designated the group as a terrorist organization from the understanding that it is a global terror threat, and if the Council is serious about peace and security, it will designate Hamas as a terrorist organization \u201conce and for all\u201d, he stressed.<\/p>\n

NIKKI HALEY (United States<\/u>) said that, while the international media pays attention to every step Israel takes in self\u2011defence, the Council must not lose sight of the damage it suffers under terrorist attacks from Gaza.\u00a0 Noting that there is no end to speeches on behalf of the Palestinians at the United Nations, she said that if those words were useful in schools, hospitals and streets, Palestinians would not be facing such desperate conditions.\u00a0 No group of countries is more generous with their words than the Palestinians\u2019 Arab neighbours, but words in New York do not feed, clothe or educate a Palestinian child, she said, pointing out that Iran\u2019s contribution to UNRWA in\u00a02017 was\u00a00, as were those of Algeria and Tunisia.\u00a0 Pakistan provided\u00a0$20,000, Egypt\u00a0$20,000 and Oman\u00a0$668,000, she said, adding that China provided\u00a0$350,000, the Russian Federation $2\u00a0million, Turkey $6.7\u00a0million, Kuwait $9\u00a0million and the United Arab Emirates $12.8\u00a0million.<\/p>\n

By contrast, the United States gave $364 million \u2014 10\u00a0times the combined amount from every country just named \u2014 in addition to what it gave in bilateral annual assistance, which was another $300\u00a0million, she continued.\u00a0 In fact, the contribution of the United States has averaged a quarter of a billion dollars annually since\u00a01993.\u00a0 But judging from the vitriol directed against that country, one could conclude that its support is unappreciated and unwelcomed.\u00a0 \u201cWe are humanitarian\u2011oriented people\u201d, but do not expect our hand, extended in generosity, to be bitten, she cautioned, emphasizing that the United States expects others to extend their hands as well.\u00a0 She asked where Arab countries are in encouraging reconciliation among Palestinian factions; in denouncing Hamas terrorism or in supporting necessary compromises in support of peace, stressing that if they really care, they would condemn Arab extremism and tell the Palestinian leadership it looked foolish condemning a peace proposal they have not yet seen.\u00a0 Arab leaders are afraid to tell them the truth, she declared, stressing that it is time for regional States in particular to help Palestinians, rather than making speeches thousands of miles away.<\/p>\n

Mr. POLYANSKIY (Russian Federation<\/u>) said that, with the Middle East teetering on the brink of another escalation, with potentially catastrophic consequences for the entire world, there was a need for preventative diplomacy and focus on a peaceful solution.\u00a0 Recent events in Gaza confirmed that violence is filling a vacuum created by the absence of political progress.\u00a0 The ongoing construction of illegal Israeli settlements, the demolition of Palestinian structures and the inflammatory rhetoric on both sides were alarming, he said, adding that any actions prejudging the outcome of peace talks, or imposing a new reality on the ground through national legislation, are unacceptable.\u00a0 Expressing support for a two\u2011State solution, in accordance with United Nations resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, he said the Russian Federation stands ready to facilitate efforts in that regard.<\/p>\n

Recalling the separate but constructive talks that his country\u2019s President held in Moscow recently with the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, he said the Russian Federation\u2019s initiative for an Israel\u2011Palestinian summit remained on the table.\u00a0 The Palestinian side consented to such a meeting, and the idea was discussed with the Israel side during a visit to West Jerusalem this week by the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs.\u00a0 He said that his country is also facilitating, with Egypt, efforts to surmount the divide in the Palestinian ranks and to support international assistance to them, including through UNRWA.\u00a0 He added hopefully, in the wake of the emotionally charged statement by the representative of the United States, the situation will improve qualitatively.\u00a0 He went on to call on all Council members to pool their efforts, including with regard to the situations in Syria, Yemen and Libya.\u00a0 On Syria, he said the return of refugees to their homes would help normalization in that country while also improving the socioeconomic situation in host countries including Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.\u00a0 He also emphasized the urgent need for a common, constructive and unifying agenda on the Middle East within the Council, saying joint action will help to stop the situation from spiralling out of control.<\/p>\n

MA ZHAOXU (China<\/u>), expressing deep concern over recent developments, said the use of force will solve no problems.\u00a0 Urging all sides to exercise restraint, he said the dire humanitarian situation did not serve regional stability, and hopefully the Gaza blockade will soon be lifted.\u00a0 Underscoring China\u2019s support for a two\u2011State solution, he called for concrete action to implement Council resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016) and halt Israeli settlement activities.\u00a0 Steps should also be taken to prevent violence against civilians.\u00a0 The international community should remain united for the early resumption of peace talks, he said, adding that all parties should meet each other halfway while refraining from inflammatory rhetoric and unilateral action.\u00a0 Expressing his country\u2019s support for a new international conference on Palestine, he also recalled the recent announcement by China\u2019s President that it will contribute 100\u00a0million renminbi in support of Palestinian economic development, while also providing $2\u00a0million to UNRWA.\u00a0 China has always supported UNRWA with no intention of competing with any other country, he emphasized.\u00a0 Stability, tranquillity and happiness are the shared aspirations of people in the Middle East, he added, underlining that hotspot issues should be addressed in a peaceful, just and inclusive manner.<\/p>\n

MANSOUR AYYAD SH. A. ALOTAIBI (Kuwait<\/u>) described the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as dire, with Israeli troops carrying out the worst attacks on Gaza since\u00a02014, in addition to the crimes committed by Israel, the occupying Power, in targeting people with light ammunition during the \u201cGreat March of Return\u201d.\u00a0 Condemning the targeting of innocent civilians, he said that his delegation holds Israel responsible for the escalation of violence, noting that its systematic policies amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.\u00a0 Kuwait calls upon the Council to implement relevant resolutions to protect the Palestinian people.\u00a0 Noting that the blockade on Gaza has been in place for more than a decade, he reiterated the importance of ending the economic and humanitarian crisis facing the Palestinian people, particularly those in Gaza, and called for exerting international pressure to end the blockade.\u00a0 Turning to UNRWA, he said funding the Agency is an international responsibility, adding that Kuwait has earmarked $55\u00a0million for UNRWA and will continue to support it.\u00a0 Israel continues to change rules on the ground, undermining the basic rights of the Palestinian people, with the Knesset adopting illegal decisions, he said, calling upon that country to immediately cease all settlement activities, which are in violation of international law, United Nations resolutions and the fifth Geneva Convention as well as a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.\u00a0 As for efforts to improve health, energy and water infrastructure, he said Kuwait has agreed to provide $2\u00a0million to rehabilitate and develop infrastructure in the south of the Gaza Strip, while expressing his country\u2019s commitment to a two\u2011State solution, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet road map.<\/p>\n

KAIRAT UMAROV (Kazakhstan<\/u>) said that terrorist groups have found a strong foothold in unstable areas, resulting in an exodus of refugees from many countries.\u00a0 The burden is being borne by host countries such as Jordan and Lebanon and requires international support.\u00a0 Expressing alarm about ongoing demonstrations in Iraq, he called for the final certification of results of recent elections in the country to be fully accepted by all political actors.\u00a0 The United Nations should continue supporting the ongoing partial recount, which must be completed by the end of July.\u00a0 He also expressed concern about Israel\u2019s decision to temporarily suspend imports and exports through the Kerem Shalom crossing.\u00a0 \u201cAll parties of the conflict should come forward to maintain calm, stop incendiary kites and prevent other provocations,\u201d he urged.\u00a0 In addition, UNRWA is facing a financial gap of $26\u00a0million, risking the education, health care, emergency and social services for 5.3\u00a0million Palestine refugees.<\/p>\n

FRAN\u00c7OIS DELATTRE (France<\/u>) said the false status quo on the ground shields the reality of the deteriorating situation, warning that it is liable to morph into a full\u2011blown crisis.\u00a0 The Council must not abdicate its responsibility nor divert its attention, he said.\u00a0 Condemning the indiscriminate use of disproportionate force, he expressed support for the right of Palestinians to protest, while recalling also France\u2019s condemnation of Hamas\u2019 exploitation of those protests to breach the security fence, as well as to launch rockets and incendiary devices against Israel\u2019s territory.\u00a0 The Council must \u201cspeak with a strong voice\u201d to pre\u2011empt an escalation of the current violence, he stressed, adding that respect for the 2014\u00a0ceasefire was also required in the immediate term.\u00a0 Turning to the West Bank, including Jerusalem, he said Israel\u2019s settlement policies undermine the two\u2011State formula, citing the announcement of new settlements and forced displacements in areas long identified as \u201cred lines\u201d, notably the E1 zone, which will separate the northern West Bank from the south and isolate East Jerusalem from other Palestinian territories.\u00a0 France\u2019s position on settlement activities as illegal under international law remains unchanged, he said, stressing that there is no viable alternative to a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 While it is essential to fill the political gap, a peace plan that \u201cturns its back\u201d on the internationally recognized parameters is doomed to fail, he cautioned.<\/p>\n

GUSTAVO MEZA-CUADRA (Peru<\/u>) expressed concern over inflexible positions, the absence of dialogue and intensified activities that have created an unpredictable climate, especially in Gaza.\u00a0 Hamas and the protest leaders must refrain from provoking incidents near the Israeli security fence, he said, condemning the group\u2019s use of incendiary devices.\u00a0 The legitimacy of Israel\u2019s defence hinged on respecting humanitarian principles, notably of proportion, he added, rejecting the generalization that all Gazans belong to Hamas.\u00a0 The situation requires leaders from both sides to commit to moderation, notably by halting settlement construction and home demolitions on the Palestinian territory occupied since\u00a01967, he said, emphasizing also the importance of Palestinian Authority control over Gaza and its border crossings, and of Israel ceasing such retaliatory measures as restricting the fishing zone around Gaza.<\/p>\n

KAREL J.G. VAN OOSTEROM (Netherlands<\/u>), highlighting the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, said that in order for daily life in the enclave to improve, economic development, humanitarian aid and rebuilding infrastructure must go hand in hand.\u00a0 He voiced his strong opposition to incendiary kites and balloons from the Gaza Strip being sent into Israel, leading to forest fires and crop damage.\u00a0 Welcoming Israel\u2019s decision to begin reopening the Kerem Shalom crossing for goods, he also urged easing restrictions while safeguarding security needs.\u00a0 \u201cThe situation in Gaza is a stark reminder of the urgent need for a political horizon and a genuine peace process leading to a two\u2011State solution, within existing parameters, based on 1967\u00a0lines,\u201d he said.\u00a0 However, he was concerned about the recent legislative developments and a rapid deterioration of the situation on the ground, he noted, objecting to Israel\u2019s planned demolitions in Area\u00a0C and the Jewish Nation\u2011State bill.\u00a0 \u201cIt is difficult to see how this contributes to a two\u2011State solution,\u201d he said, underlining the important role of the Quartet in the peace process.<\/p>\n

JOB OBIANG ESONO MBENGONO (Equatorial Guinea<\/u>) recalled that more than 100\u00a0Palestinians lost their lives during the Great March of Return, and that Israeli air strikes countered incendiary devices and missiles.\u00a0 Israel should respect Palestinian protests as long as they are peaceful, he said, calling upon radical Islamist movements to refrain from exploiting protest marches because Israel also has a right to guarantee the security of its civilians.\u00a0 Expressing support for Egypt\u2019s plan for inter\u2011Palestinian reconciliation, he noted that it recognizes the Palestinian Authority as the only legal representative of Palestinians and guarantees its return and reestablishment in Gaza.\u00a0 He urged Council members, especially those with influence, to seek a formula that will bring the parties back to the negotiation table, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative.<\/p>\n

PAWEL RADOMSKI (Poland<\/u>) said that the humanitarian situation of 2\u00a0million people in the Gaza Strip is even more desperate now than during the last debate on the topic.\u00a0 While recognizing Israel\u2019s right to protect its borders and defend its legitimate security interests, he urged that country to both ensure proportional use of force by its security services and respect the fundamental right to peaceful protest.\u00a0 At the same time, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad have a responsibility to avoid provocations.\u00a0 Highlighting the risk of a regional spillover of the conflict, he said it is the Security Council\u2019s responsibility to address the situation effectively.\u00a0 He also urged all Palestinian factions to work together to achieve a sustainable development of the intra\u2011Palestinian reconciliation process, allowing the Palestinian Authority to resume its full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n

Mr. IPO (C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire<\/u>), calling on all sides to exercise restraint, expressed alarm at the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.\u00a0 The blockade must be eased and import constraints on fuel lifted.\u00a0 He also urged Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to pursue dialogue.\u00a0 Reaffirming support for a two\u2011State solution in line with Council resolutions, he said the Middle East is facing a myriad of security challenges, including Syria where a resumption of the political process is urgently needed.\u00a0 Expressing grave alarm at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen, he called for a cessation of hostilities as well as meaningful political efforts to end the conflict in that country.\u00a0 Turning to Iran, he said the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is a solid guarantor for the implementation of the Treaty on the Non\u2011Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and he encouraged all stakeholders to iron out their differences.<\/p>\n

STEPHEN HICKEY (United Kingdom<\/u>) stressed that, more than ever, a political process that delivers a two\u2011State solution is needed.\u00a0 The United Kingdom is ready to support and contribute to all credible efforts to restart the peace process and he urged others to do the same.\u00a0 Expressing support for a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel and a viable Palestinian State, he added no one wants a return to conflict.\u00a0 Hamas must immediately and permanently stop directing rocket fire and incendiary devices at Israel, which in turn must end punitive actions and work instead with the international community to improve access to Gaza.\u00a0 The Palestinian Authority must, for its part, resume salary payments and work to restore its presence in Gaza.\u00a0 Meanwhile, the international community must support the Special Envoy\u2019s efforts.\u00a0 The risk of tensions boiling over into conflict is very real.\u00a0 Israel must abandon the demolition of Palestinian property, which causes unnecessary suffering and runs counter to international law.\u00a0 With regards to UNRWA, he said it is clear that the Agency needs a bigger pool of financial support and that it must continue to promote realistic reforms.\u00a0 Council members should consider what more they can do to support Palestinian refugees and ease the current financial pressure on UNRWA.<\/p>\n

MAHLET HAILU GUADEY (Ethiopia<\/u>) said the humanitarian situation cannot be alleviated without fixing water, fuel, electricity and health care services, or easing the movement of people, goods and services.\u00a0 Underscoring the importance of greater support for humanitarian agencies serving Gaza, she expressed support for Egypt\u2019s efforts to restore control by the legitimate Palestinian Authority Government in Gaza and commended its hosting of talks with senior Hamas and Fatah officials in that regard.\u00a0 She expressed support for two States living side by side in peace and security as the only option, stressing that everything must be done to support the return of both sides to direct negotiations.<\/p>\n

SACHA SERGIO LLORENTTY SOL\u00cdZ (Bolivia<\/u>), associating himself with the Non\u2011Aligned Movement, expressed deep concern over Israel\u2019s actions against Gazans, while similarly deploring rocket launches against Israel\u2019s civilian areas.\u00a0 Noting that recent events marked Israel\u2019s largest campaign of daily air strikes against Palestinians since\u00a02014, he recalled that for 11\u00a0years, Palestinians lived under collective punishment by Israel, which denied them water and sanitation while restricting electricity supply.\u00a0 He also expressed concern over the \u201cNation\u2011State of the Jewish people\u201d law, a colonial and discriminatory measure, which can impose ideological beliefs as official State policy, heedless of Palestinian rights.<\/p>\n

OLOF SKOOG (Sweden<\/u>), Council President for July, said efforts for lasting peace and an end to the occupation must be intensified.\u00a0 Interventions with quick, direct and immediate impacts on people\u2019s daily lives are urgently needed. \u201cThis must be given utmost priority,\u201d he emphasized, recognizing that the causes of the humanitarian crisis are political in nature.\u00a0 Calling for the lifting of Israel\u2019s closure regime, he advocated Palestinian reconciliation and the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza.\u00a0 Young people must be shown that there is an alternative to violence, he said, while underlining the essential need to ensure a safe childhood for all children.\u00a0 He also called for greater efforts among UNRWA donors to meet their pledges and pressed others to contribute.\u00a0 Stressing that Israel\u2019s actions in the occupied West Bank undermine the contours of a contiguous future Palestinian State, he advocated reinvigorated efforts for a two\u2011State solution based on international law and United Nations resolutions, and with Jerusalem as the future capital of both.<\/p>\n

AMAL MUDALLALI (Lebanon<\/u>) described Israel\u2019s new Jewish Nation\u2011State Law as a regrettable contravention of dozens of United Nations resolutions on the question of Palestine.\u00a0 If international law and international legality are tossed aside, what is the future of peace in the Middle East? she wondered.\u00a0 \u201cMy fear is we will be eternally condemned to the same cycle of violence and perpetual wars.\u201d\u00a0 Calling UNRWA a regional stabilizer, she called for building upon the momentum created at the Agency\u2019s June pledging conference in New York and during the March Extraordinary Ministerial Conference in Rome.\u00a0 No one can afford to let UNRWA die, she emphasized.\u00a0 Turning to the situation in her own country, she said a new Government is in the making following parliamentary elections in May.\u00a0 Its key priorities will include structural reforms to boost the economy as well as the issue of Syrian refugees, which cannot wait for a political solution to materialize in Syria.\u00a0 She called upon Council members to ensure the smooth renewal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon\u00a0(UNIFIL)\u2019s mandate, which will expire in a few weeks, saying the Force is instrumental in preserving peace and security in southern Lebanon.\u00a0 She also called on the Council to insist that Israel respect and implement resolution\u00a01701\u00a0(2006) by withdrawing from occupied Lebanese territory and ending violations of Lebanon\u2019s sovereignty.<\/p>\n

MART\u00cdN GARC\u00cdA MORIT\u00c1N (Argentina<\/u>) reaffirmed his country\u2019s support for a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine on the basis of a two\u2011State solution and the pre\u20111967 borders.\u00a0 He reaffirmed the Palestinian people\u2019s inalienable right to self\u2011determination as well as Israel\u2019s right to live in peace and security alongside its neighbours within internationally recognized borders.\u00a0 Argentina urged a halt to the expansion of Israeli settlements, he said, adding that they contravene international law and promote the perpetuation of an unsustainable status quo.\u00a0 He went on to strongly condemn Hamas for launching rockets and incendiary devices into Israel, while urging the latter to take its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law into account.\u00a0 Argentina also rejects any unilateral attempt to change the status of Jerusalem, he stressed.\u00a0 On Syria, he said that his delegation supports a political solution that fully respects the neighbouring country\u2019s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.\u00a0 Hopefully, tangible results will emerge from the Geneva process, he said.\u00a0 Condemning terrorism in all its forms, he said anti\u2011terror efforts must be carried out within the framework of international law.<\/p>\n

ABDALLAH Y. AL-MOUALLIMI (Saudi Arabia<\/u>), recalling the recent centenary of Nelson Mandela\u2019s birth, said the Palestinian cause was a big part of his struggle for freedom.\u00a0 With Israel proving every day, through its attacks and deliberate killings, that it is a State above the law, he said, Israel is building apartheid walls and adopting legislation to become the nation\u2011State of the Jewish people, thereby paving the way for genocide in the Palestinian territories.\u00a0 That put the Palestinians in dire need of international protection, he said, rejecting Israel\u2019s attempts to entrench apartheid.\u00a0 On UNRWA, he noted that the Agency\u2019s financial challenges threaten to deny education and a decent life to millions of Palestinians.\u00a0 Emphasizing that Saudi Arabia believes in actions, not words, he said that over two decades, it contributed $1\u00a0billion \u2014 \u201cwith a \u2018B\u2019\u201d \u2014 to UNRWA and more than $6\u00a0billion \u2014 \u201cwith a \u2018B\u2019\u201d \u2014 to the Palestinian people in the form of humanitarian, development and relief aid.<\/p>\n

Turning to Syria, he said the misery in that country should end with a peaceful solution based on the Geneva communiqu\u00e9 and relevant Council resolutions.\u00a0 He called for\u00a0 the immediate release of detainees and the return of refugees and internally displaced persons.\u00a0 As for Yemen, he said that Saudi Arabia and its sisterly coalition partners are exercising the utmost restraint, but Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, have been paying no attention to political initiatives, let alone Council resolutions.\u00a0 Houthi control over parts of Yemen is the reason behind the crisis, he said, noting that a recent report of the Secretary\u2011General made it clear that rockets fired his country\u2019s territory by the Houthi were manufactured in Iran.\u00a0 The Iranian regime is still using all its military, scientific and financial resources to spread havoc and instability in the Middle East, he said, pointing out that the main principle of the Iranian resolution is to export extremist ideology.\u00a0 It is high time for the Council to express its rejection of Iran\u2019s irresponsible behaviour and its interference in the affairs of the region, he said, adding:\u00a0 \u201cSay to Iran:\u00a0 \u2018enough\u2019\u201d, so that terror and violence will not grow in the region.<\/p>\n

MALEEHA LODHI (Pakistan<\/u>) said essential medication services in Gaza are on the verge of a complete shutdown due to Israel\u2019s prohibition on fuel imports, which place the lives of thousands at risk.\u00a0 Noting that some have called for all sides to exercise restraint, she said that the issue is a struggle between an occupied people and an occupying Power.\u00a0 \u201cGlossing over this incontrovertible reality would be tantamount to drawing moral equivalence between the acts of the aggressor and the aggrieved,\u201d she pointed out.\u00a0 Furthermore, the Jewish Nation\u2011State Law, passed by Israel\u2019s Knesset on 19\u00a0July, provided a vivid manifestation of the legally enshrined policy of discrimination by that country, which relegates the indigenous Arab population to second\u2011class citizen status and eliminates the official standing of the Arabic language.\u00a0 She said recent Security Council inaction on the question of Palestine has led the General Assembly to take a more proactive role in order to fill the void, emphasizing that Pakistan will continue to lend support to negotiated settlements in other regional situations, including Syria and Yemen, on the basis of agreed frameworks and inclusive political engagement.<\/p>\n

ESHAGH AL HABIB (Iran<\/u>), associating himself with the Non\u2011Aligned Movement, said that the only way to ensure a viable permanent solution to the question of Palestine is to restore the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.\u00a0 The Israeli regime\u2019s brutalities have only intensified since the Council\u2019s last meeting on the issue, \u201cconfident in the unequivocal support of the United States and emboldened by the Council\u2019s inaction\u201d.\u00a0 Describing Israel\u2019s continued attacks on civilian infrastructure, its new restrictions on humanitarian cargo, the increasing number of its illegal settlements and now the enactment of the so\u2011called \u201cBasic Law\u201d \u2014 which means Jewish supremacy over others \u2014 he said the latter represents a legal system of racism and apartheid.\u00a0 The General Assembly should not allow itself to be deceived, he said, emphasizing that the new law must be condemned in the strongest terms.\u00a0 Israel should be compelled to revoke it because it contravenes the United Nations Charter, international law and the basic principles of human rights law.\u00a0 Responding to the representatives of Saudi Arabia and Israel, he expressed regret that the two singled out Iran as a sponsor of terrorism.\u00a0 Rejecting the allegations, he said they are only aimed at distracting attention from Israel\u2019s atrocities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, for which that regime must be held accountable.<\/p>\n

SAMUEL MONCADA (Venezuela<\/u>), speaking for the Non\u2011Aligned Movement, said that the ongoing Israeli occupation and the Palestinian\u2011Israeli conflict continue to pose a serious threat to international peace and security.\u00a0 The Security Council must uphold its Charter duties and resolutions.\u00a0 Security Council resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016) provides the most viable path to peace, preserving the two\u2011State solution on the pre\u20111967 lines, he stressed, calling for its full and effective implementation, especially by the occupying Power, and for the full respect and implementation of all other relevant resolutions.<\/p>\n

He went on to express deep regret over the most recent veto cast by the United States on the draft resolution presented in June by Kuwait, which aimed to address escalating violence and highlight the need to protect Palestinian civilians.\u00a0 \u201cThe Security Council has been unable to fulfil its mandate on this important question due to the prevalence of particular interests of a permanent member,\u201d he pointed out.\u00a0 Reiterating the bloc\u2019s grave concern about the lack of accountability for violations committed by Israel, he called for international action, particularly by the Council.\u00a0 \u201cIsrael must comply with its duties and responsibilities under international law,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

MOUNZER MOUNZER (Syria<\/u>), noting that Israel targeted one of his country\u2019s warplanes over a rural area in the Golan Heights today, emphasized that Israel must end its occupation of Arab territories, including the Syrian Golan.\u00a0 Many States helped to transform the State of Palestine into an open\u2011air prison by helping Israel\u2019s mushrooming settlement expansion and by turning a deaf ear to recent developments.\u00a0 Instead, those countries were drawing a picture of mutual violence in the area, oblivious to the fact that occupation and displacement are the root cause of the conflict.\u00a0 Moreover, Syria condemns the recent Jewish Nation\u2011State Law, he said, stressing that it contravenes the United Nations Charter.\u00a0 Reiterating that Israel continues its settlement efforts in the occupied Syrian Golan \u2014 including by racial discrimination by extorting the Golan\u2019s natural resources \u2014 he said that his delegation has documented Israel\u2019s support of terrorist armed groups there, including its direct military aggression against Syrian territories to support such groups in flagrant violation of international law.\u00a0 \u201cThe Israeli settlers should leave our Golan territories,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

HALVOR S\u00c6TRE (Norway<\/u>) urged all parties in Syria to engage in the formation and subsequent work of the Constitutional Committee, while in Yemen, he noted Norway\u2019s $34\u00a0million support to humanitarian relief.\u00a0 He touched on Norway\u2019s long engagement to resolve the Israel\u2011Palestine conflict, based on support for a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 He also noted Norway\u2019s efforts, as chair of the international donor group for Palestine, to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, citing water and energy distribution as priority issues.\u00a0 Because Gaza is integral to Palestine and a future Palestinian State, he welcomed Egypt\u2019s mediation efforts to address outstanding issues.\u00a0 Palestinian factions must end their violence, while the closure regime must be eased and the dual\u2011use list revised.\u00a0 Norway had hosted an informal meeting among the Palestinian Authority, United Nations, European Union and the World Bank on 18\u00a0July, followed by a donors meeting in Ramallah on 23\u00a0July. \u201cProgress in Gaza is our priority,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

YASUHISA KAWAMURA (Japan<\/u>), emphasizing that violence cannot bring about a solution in the Middle East, called for a surge in diplomacy across the region.\u00a0 Expressing hope that recent steps by the Egyptian\u2011led reconciliation process would lead to de\u2011escalation in Gaza, he also spotlighted the United Nations key diplomatic role.\u00a0 The Council has built the basis for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace through its various resolutions.\u00a0 Expressing Japan\u2019s commitment to those efforts, and to the goal of a two\u2011State solution, he said his country also supports efforts to implement Council resolutions and extend humanitarian assistance to people in need in Syria.\u00a0 After seven years of devastating war, he hoped the international community is \u201cmoving cautiously in the right direction\u201d on the political front.\u00a0 Diplomacy is equally critical not only to the Palestinian question and Syria but also to the situations in Yemen, Libya and elsewhere, he said.<\/p>\n

JOANNE ADAMSON,\u00a0European Union<\/u>, described Gaza as a pressure cooker \u201con the brink of explosion\u201d.\u00a0 Two million people have only limited access to basic services amid shrinking hopes that their own lives \u2014 and those of their children \u2014 can be improved.\u00a0 Condemning the violence taking place since March and committed by both Israelis and Palestinians, she said the Israeli security forces in particular must refrain from using excessive force against unarmed civilians while protecting their country\u2019s legitimate security interests. \u00a0\u201cThe use of force taken must be proportional at all times,\u201d she emphasized, also calling on Israel to reverse its punitive measures and work with the international community to ease conditions in Gaza, including by easing movement restrictions and ensuring access for all humanitarian actors.\u00a0 Strongly urging all parties to respect international law, de\u2011escalate tensions and exercise restraint, she outlined five urgent and necessary steps:\u00a0 ending closures and fully opening crossing points in order to reinvigorate Gaza\u2019s economy; facilitate support from the international community to alleviate Gaza\u2019s humanitarian crisis; support Egyptian\u2011led reconciliation efforts; stepped\u2011up financial support for UNRWA; and serious efforts towards resuming meaningful negotiations aimed at achieving a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 The European Union intends to work alongside Israelis and Palestinians \u2014 as well as with regional actors such as Jordan and Egypt \u2014 and with its Middle East Quartet partners to that end, she said.<\/p>\n

TIJJANI MUHAMMAD BANDE (Nigeria<\/u>), associating himself with the Non\u2011Aligned Movement, said recent developments must not be allowed to obscure the problem underlying the Israel\u2011Palestine conflict.\u00a0 Reviving the peace process cannot be achieved without ending or reversing Israel\u2019s settlement expansion policy in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, he said, encouraging Israel to freeze and reverse all settlement\u2011related activities in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.\u00a0 Palestinian leaders must also signal their readiness to return to the negotiating table by enhancing efforts to forge unity, deal with militancy and other internal security challenges, he emphasized.\u00a0 Moreover, the Security Council must not fail in its duty and responsibility to the Palestinian people, he said, calling upon States with influence over the concerned parties to encourage them to re\u2011engage in dialogue on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid Guiding Principles, the Quartet road map, the Arab Peace Initiative and other existing agreements.<\/p>\n

MAKBULE BA\u015eAK YAL\u00c7IN (Turkey<\/u>) said that the problems facing the Middle East, including civil wars, humanitarian crises, terrorism and sectarianism, are not inherent in the region\u2019s history or culture.\u00a0 \u201cWe can overcome them, and we have reasons to be optimistic,\u201d she emphasized, citing Turkey\u2019s operations against ISIL\/Da\u2019esh and other groups as important steps in the common fight against terrorism.\u00a0 On 1\u00a0June, however, the Council failed once again to shoulder its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, she recalled, noting that after its failure to act, the General Assembly took action on 13\u00a0June, proving that the Palestinian people are not alone in the face of grave violations of their human rights.\u00a0 She said her delegation assumed the chairmanship of the UNRWA Advisory Commission on 1\u00a0July, and will focus on placing the Agency on a sufficient, sustainable and predictable footing.\u00a0 The World Bank\u2019s Endowment Fund and the Islamic Development Bank\u2019s Waqf Fund will create crucial new avenues for sustainable financing of the Agency, she added.<\/p>\n

CHEIKH NIANG (Senegal), Chair of the\u00a0Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People<\/u>, pressed the Council to ensure implementation of its resolutions.\u00a0 While noting that Israel must ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians, he said 146\u00a0Palestinians in Gaza lost their lives since March.\u00a0 Reaffirming support for an independent, transparent inquiry into those events, as well as for the efforts of the Human Rights Council\u2019s Commission of Inquiry, he said that he looks forward to the Secretary\u2011General\u2019s proposals in that regard.\u00a0 He urged Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza and to refrain from the disproportionate use of force.\u00a0 He stressed the importance of reconciliation among Palestinian political actors in order to better address the challenges facing civilians.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s Jewish Nation\u2011State Law must be denounced and repealed, he said.<\/p>\n

WOUTER ZAAYMAN (South Africa<\/u>) expressed concern over the tightening of restrictions at crossings in Gaza \u2014 an act of collective punishment against its residents \u2014 emphasizing that such disproportionate and brutal acts constitute a grave violation of the Charter and of international law.\u00a0 Also, they further exacerbate tensions in the region and hinder the possibility of efforts to resume Palestinian\u2011Israeli peace talks, he said, emphasizing that there can be no military solution to the conflict.\u00a0 He went on to voice serious concern about Gaza\u2019s humanitarian crisis and UNRWA\u2019s unprecedented budgetary shortfall.\u00a0 Deeply concerned about the continuation of illegal Israeli settlement activity, he warned that the construction of additional settlements represents a flagrant violation of international law.\u00a0 \u201cThe Palestinian people continue to look to the United Nations, specifically the Security Council, to assist them in realizing their right to self\u2011determination,\u201d he said, stressing that the current situation \u2014 \u201ca blight on the conscience of the international community\u201d \u2014 cannot be allowed to continue.<\/p>\n

ALI NASEER MOHAMED (Maldives<\/u>) said the situation in the Middle East continues to worsen because the rule of law is ignored, people\u2019s fundamental rights violated and Council resolutions disregarded.\u00a0 The attacks on Gaza, which have escalated in recent days, are illegal, he said, condemning such acts of aggression.\u00a0\u00a0 The United Nations \u2014 and the Security Council in particular \u2014 must take urgent measures to protect civilians and ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance.\u00a0 He said resolution\u00a02333\u00a0(2016) is clear in reaffirming the illegality of Israel\u2019s occupation and its settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with the former first declared \u201cnull and void\u201d in resolutions\u00a0476 and 478\u00a0(1980).\u00a0 Calling for Israel\u2019s full implementation of those resolutions and its legal obligations under the United Nations Charter, he also urged the international community to reinvigorate talks on a peaceful settlement of the conflict.\u00a0 Turning to Syria, he expressed concern about rampant terrorist activities there, stressing:\u00a0 \u201cWe must tackle the enabling factors of\u00a0[that phenomenon] through international cooperation, sharing information and coherent strategies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ms. RODR\u00cdGUEZ (Cuba<\/u>), associating herself with the Non\u2011Aligned Movement, expressed regret at the Security Council\u2019s inability even to condemn recent events in the Gaza Strip.\u00a0 Condemning the illegal construction and expansion of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, she noted that they threaten the livelihoods of Palestinians and trigger their displacement, thereby diminishing the prospects for a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 She urged the Council to live up to its responsibility by calling upon Israel to end its aggressive policies and settlement practices and comply with relevant resolutions.\u00a0 Cuba will continue to support the accession of the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations, she said.\u00a0 Condemning the relocation of the United States embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, she called for a halt to meddling in foreign affairs, including by providing weapons to terrorist groups.\u00a0 Moreover, Cuba demanded Israel\u2019s complete and unconditional withdrawal from the Syrian Golan and all occupied territories.<\/p>\n

ABDULRAHMAN YAAQOB Y.A. AL-HAMADI (Qatar<\/u>) said that recent events in the Gaza Strip constituted a reminder of the urgent need to find a fair solution to the crisis, which should take place in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and guarantee the peaceful coexistence of both parties in a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 There should be an immediate halt to all settlement activities and a restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.\u00a0 Qatar renounces Israel\u2019s Jewish Nation\u2011State Law and its actions against religious places, including breaking into the Al\u2011Aqsa Mosque, he said.\u00a0 Turning to Syria, he said \u201cthe crisis casts its shadows and consequences to the region and worldwide\u201d, emphasizing that there is no alternative to a political solution.\u00a0 Welcoming the decision by the International Court of Justice approving his delegation\u2019s request for interim measures against the United Arab Emirates regarding its discriminatory treatment of Qatar\u2019s citizens, he said the unfair blockade against his country must be lifted.<\/p>\n

SIMA SAMI I. BAHOUS (Jordan<\/u>) said her country will spare no effort to counter Israel\u2019s attempts to change the character of Jerusalem.\u00a0 Condemning recent attacks against helpless civilians in the Gaza Strip, she recalled that a General Assembly resolution adopted in June guarantees international protection to Palestinian civilians.\u00a0 She also denounced Israel\u2019s adoption of a new law enshrining racial segregation in contravention of international norms, calling upon the international community to oppose that legislation \u2014 which will only exacerbate tensions and lead to greater conflict.\u00a0 She also voiced concern over UNRWA\u2019s dangerous financial shortfall, saying it will impact women and children caught up in attempts to politicize the Agency\u2019s critical services.\u00a0 Turning to Syria, she said that with the crisis now entering its eighth year, Jordan\u2019s borders remain open, providing refuge to millions of its Syrian neighbours.\u00a0 In recent weeks, diplomatic efforts have permitted a ceasefire in the south of Syria near the Jordanian border, she said, expressing hope that efforts to help Syrians exercise their right to return home will continue.<\/p>\n

MAGED ABDELFATTAH ABDELAZIZ, Permanent Observer for the\u00a0League of Arab States<\/u>, expressed concern that, despite repeated calls to respect international law, \u201cIsrael still rides roughshod\u201d over United Nations resolutions.\u00a0 Its recent displacement of Bedouin communities, including children and registered refugees, represents yet another attempt to \u201cimpose a greater Israel\u201d by demolishing homes, he said, adding that such policies \u2014 alongside the use of live ammunition against peaceful Palestinian protesters \u2014 represent a campaign of ethnic cleansing aimed at defenceless civilians.\u00a0 Meanwhile, Israel\u2019s continued closure of Gaza crossings only exacerbates the spike in the prices of basic commodities, which most residents already cannot afford, he said.\u00a0 Underlining that both Israel and the United States have a moral and financial responsibility to continue to support UNRWA, he said Arab countries are no less generous, and have contributed billions of dollars to support Palestinian refugees.\u00a0 Condemning Israel\u2019s recent adoption of a law favouring Jews over other citizens \u2014 \u201cgiving a legitimate face to apartheid\u201d and consecrating ethnic cleansing at the legal level \u2014 he stressed that such racist legislation remains null and void under international law.<\/p>\n

HELENA DEL CARMEN Y\u00c1NEZ LOZA (Ecuador<\/u>) recalled reports shared with the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People in relation to the dramatic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.\u00a0 They detail exchanges of fire, aerial bombardments using missiles and the deaths of children.\u00a0 The immediate unfolding of the tragedy in the media must not desensitize onlookers to the meaning of the violence, she emphasized.\u00a0 Noting that the lack of fuel jeopardizes medical care, including that of newborn babies, she said \u201cthe situation is going from bad to worse\u201d.\u00a0 The political solution to the crisis depends on a two\u2011State solution, she said, stressing that the Security Council must not stand idly by.\u00a0 Rather, it must take tangible measures to ensure that Israel complies with its resolutions.<\/p>\n

TAREQ MD ARIFUL ISLAM (Bangladesh<\/u>), speaking on behalf of the\u00a0Organization of Islamic Cooperation<\/u>\u00a0(OIC), said Israel\u2019s ongoing aggression and threats against the Palestinian Bedouin community of Khan al Ahmar constitutes another deplorable chapter in terms of its illegal and destructive measures.\u00a0 The policy of forcibly transferring the Palestinian population constitutes a grave breach of international law and amounts to a war crime, thereby highlighting the urgent need for accountability.\u00a0 He condemned Israel\u2019s continued settlement colonization, a policy that entrenches its decades\u2011long military occupation.\u00a0 \u201cIt is a litmus test for the collective international resolve and particularly this lofty Council,\u201d he said, underlining that it is required to take concrete actions to ensure respect for and compliance with relevant resolutions.<\/p>\n

It is incumbent upon the Security Council to intervene responsibly and effectively to avert dire repercussions that might plunge the volatile region into a cycle of further instability, he continued.\u00a0 He went on to stress that immediate action should be taken to halt Israel\u2019s human rights violations, end impunity, ensure accountability for its crimes and its illegal blockade on the Gaza Strip, provide protection for the Palestinian people and address their dire humanitarian situation.\u00a0 Turning to UNRWA, he called on the international community to ensure that the plight and needs of Palestine refugees receives adequate attention, including in terms of funding for the Agency.\u00a0 In addition, continuing Israeli settlement policies constitute a serious obstacle to a just and lasting solution to the conflict, he said, emphasizing that the Security Council must act to enhance prospects for peace, hope and justice by maintaining the viability of a two\u2011State solution and by launching and sponsoring a multilateral political process to resolve all final status issues.<\/p>\n

INA H. KRISNAMURTHI (Indonesia<\/u>) recalled that, following the failure of the Security Council to fulfil its duty to the Palestinian people in June, the General Assembly adopted the same draft resolution.\u00a0 \u201cHowever, as usual, the will of the majority prevails on paper, but the reality shows the opposite,\u201d she observed.\u00a0 The heart of the conflict in the State of Palestine is the occupation and illegal settlement, she stressed, adding that the highest form of justice is safety and security.\u00a0 Common humanity demands rejecting the use of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate violence by Israel\u2019s forces against Palestinian civilians, which included the use of live ammunition against civilian protestors.\u00a0 Her delegation has committed $2\u00a0million to assist Palestinians in capacity\u2011building programmes, under the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development.<\/p>\n

MOHAMED FATHI AHMED EDREES(Egypt<\/u>) said the conflict persisted not for a lack of ideas or resolutions, but rather, of desire for serious negotiations that would end Israel\u2019s occupation of Arab territories, including the Syrian Golan, and reach an international consensus on a Palestinian State along 4\u00a0June\u00a01967 borders, with Al\u2011Quds Al\u2011Sharif as its capital.\u00a0 The world has seen injustice of generations of Palestinians, who awaited return of their land and a dignified life, like the Israelis, whose State was established by a United Nations resolution.\u00a0 The two\u2011State solution is regressing due to diminishing land, illegal settlements, home demolitions, the division between the West Bank and Gaza strip, and unilateral decisions on Jerusalem, contravening Council and Assembly resolutions.\u00a0 Stressing that Gazans face an UNRWA crisis, confrontations with Israel\u2019s security forces and obstructed movement, he said Egypt, in solidarity, is working to lessen the humanitarian crisis, while it has no legal responsibility to open the Rafah border crossing.<\/p>\n

Such exceptional measures are not enough unless Israel lives up to its international responsibilities, he said.\u00a0 The deteriorating situation in Gaza is among many and addressing it should not be pursued separately from the entire Palestinian situation.\u00a0 Gaza is part of Palestinian territory, along with the West Bank and Jerusalem.\u00a0 He called on Palestinians to achieve reconciliation and on international parties to build on those efforts, starting with the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza.\u00a0 He also called for resumed negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis based on clear, defined guidelines and principles taken from Council resolutions, notably resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016).\u00a0 \u201cThese principles will not leave,\u201d he said.\u00a0 They reflected rights that are inalienable.\u00a0 Egypt will support any new serious initiatives for a comprehensive political settlement if based on returning rights to Palestinians.<\/p>\n

KENNEDY MAYONG ONON (Malaysia<\/u>), associating himself with the Non\u2011Aligned Movement and OIC, said the international community must continue to demand Israel to stop all violations and illegal activities, and to fully comply with all its obligations under Council resolutions, as well as international law and the United Nations Charter.\u00a0 For its part, Malaysia will continue to assist the Palestinians, he said, reiterating that a two\u2011State solution, with Palestinians and Israelis living side by side in peace, based on pre\u20111967 borders with East Jerusalem as Palestine\u2019s capital, is the only viable solution to the conflict.<\/p>\n

HICHAM OUSSIHAMOU (Morocco<\/u>) expressed regret over the deterioration of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory due to Israel\u2019s judaization policies, saying they are stoking tensions.\u00a0 The Israeli authorities have used force against innocent civilians, exacerbating the situation and perpetuating the cycle of violence and counter\u2011violence.\u00a0 Such actions also prevent resumption of the peace process and contravene relevant resolutions in the form of unilateral policies that flout international law, he said.\u00a0 He recalled that his country\u2019s delegation hosted the Fifth International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem in Rabat last month, noting that the King of Morocco expressed support for the Palestinian cause during that meeting, reiterating the need to resolve the conflict and calling for resumed negotiations with a clear timetable.<\/p>\n

DANG DINH QUY (Viet Nam<\/u>), associating himself with the Non\u2011Aligned Movement, said that recent deadly clashes and the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip placed the whole region\u2019s security at stake, imperilling the prospect of a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 He condemned all acts of violence, including the excessive use of lethal force against civilians and critical civilian facilities.\u00a0 Viet Nam urged the concerned parties to exercise self\u2011restraint and refrain from any act escalating tensions.\u00a0 Settlement construction and blockade activity must stop immediately and special attention must be paid to protecting and improving the lives of Palestinians in the enclave, he stressed.<\/p>\n

ALEX GIACOMELLI DA SILVA (Brazil<\/u>) expressed his country\u2019s long\u2011standing support for the two\u2011State solution, at the heart of which is the need to work towards a Palestinian State that is fully sovereign, economically viable and territorially contiguous, with East Jerusalem as its capital.\u00a0 Stressing that illegal Israeli settlements and inflammatory rhetoric from both sides hinder regional peace, he urged Israel to revert its decision to demolish Khan al Ahmar, which is in an area essential for the viability of the two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 On Syria, he urged all parties to immediately suspend hostilities and take all necessary measures to safeguard both civilian lives and infrastructure.\u00a0 The international community must send a unified message in support of an inclusive political solution to the crisis, based on resolution\u00a02254\u00a0(2015).\u00a0 On Yemen, he called for the Hodeidah port to remain operational and urged all actors with influence to bring the parties in the conflict to the negotiation table.<\/p>\n

The representative of\u00a0Israel<\/u>\u00a0took the floor a second time, saying that over three years, many States have made false accusations during the Council\u2019s open debate on the Middle East.\u00a0 Iran often demonstrated such biased and sometimes hateful remarks, which eroded United Nations principles.\u00a0 The open debate is not a platform for discussions involving honesty and self\u2011awareness, especially for Middle Eastern delegates, she said, adding that over three years, some of them claimed to favour diplomatic solutions, while refusing to sit next to an Israeli delegate.\u00a0 How can one take the Council seriously when some delegates ban even the concept of sitting together at the same table? she asked.\u00a0 How can the Council think it knows best what the region needs without hearing once from Israel?\u00a0 Any agreement must originate from bilateral direct negotiations, she said, emphasizing that the Council is not a substitute.\u00a0 Those wishing to move the peace process forward should call on the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table, rather than supporting \u201cprofoundly ineffectual\u201d open debates.\u00a0 Hopefully the day will come when the debate will no longer be guided by double standards against Israel, she said.<\/p>\n

For information media. Not an official record.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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