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Mladenov

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2013-11-25

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2020-09-29

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un-security-council

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1. “Mr. Mladenov: On behalf of the Secretary- General, today I will present the eighth report on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016), covering the period from 13 September to 14 December. I will focus on developments on the ground, in accordance with the provisions of the resolution, including on regional and international efforts to advance peace. Let me underscore that these developments cannot be divorced from the broader context - Israel's continued military occupation of Palestinian territory; uncertainties about the future of the peace process and the two-State solution; Hamas's continuing hold over Gaza and its militant activity; the persistent threat of war; unilateral actions that undermine peace efforts; reduced donor support for Palestine; and turmoil in the wider region.”

   2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source

2. “We must continue to consistently push back against the entrenchment of the military occupation and the erosion of international consensus on the final status issues. Together, we must work with determination and vigilance to establish an environment conducive to the return of negotiations that will end the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, in line with the recommendations of the Middle East Quartet report of 2016 (S/2016/595, annex). The United Nations remains firmly committed to advancing all efforts towards a just and lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace, based on the relevant Council resolutions.”

   2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

3. “Israel must also recognize that Gaza is about to explode, and in order to prevent such an explosion, people must also see a normalization of their lives, for which the closures need to be relaxed and ultimately lifted. We cannot stand idle and allow the division between the West Bank and Gaza to be further entrenched. The Palestinian people are demanding that their leadership finally reunite Gaza and the West Bank, advance the goal of peacefully ending the Israeli occupation and establish a viable Palestinian State based on the relevant United Nations resolutions. That is what people desire; that is what they deserve. Secondly, on the broader peace efforts, it is essential that we prevent the further collapse of the foundations that must underpin any future agreement.”

   2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

4. “First, on Gaza, it is vital that all stakeholders work to de-escalate the deteriorating situation and seize the current window of opportunity to advance urgent humanitarian and economic interventions, in line with the conclusions of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee. I would also like to reiterate the importance of sustained support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and extend our gratitude to the State of Kuwait for the swift disbursement of its $42 million contribution to the Agency. Palestinian factions must seize the opportunity to engage in earnest with the Egyptian-led efforts to bring Gaza back under the control ofthe legitimate Palestinian Government. We in the international community must do all we can to support those efforts.”

   2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

5. “A follow-up committee chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas was established to discuss the implementation of those decisions. The situation in Lebanon will be considered by the Council this week. As we speak, the political actors have yet to find an agreement on a national unity Government. The delay hampers Lebanon's ability to address issues essential to its stability, including the economy. We again encourage all stakeholders to put national interests first and expeditiously reach an agreement that preserves Lebanon's stability and ability to deliver on its international commitments. In closing, let make two important points.”

   2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

6. “I welcome the announcement by the Israeli authorities on 21 October to delay the demolition of Khan Al-Ahmar/Abu Al-Helu and reiterate the call of the international community for plans for the demolition of that community and all others facing similar pressures to be annulled. On 28 and 29 October, the Palestine Liberation Organization Central Council held its thirtieth session in Ramallah. In its final statement, the Central Council reaffirmed recent decisions taken to suspend its recognition of the State of Israel until the latter recognizes the State of Palestine, based on 4 June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as to end security coordination in all of its forms and disengage economically from Israel.”

   2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

7. “The demolition and confiscation of Palestinian-owned structures also continue, with a total of 31 structures demolished or seized by the authorities, citing a lack of building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain in the Israeli-controlled Area C and East Jerusalem. As a result, some 25 people were displaced and, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the livelihoods of 200 others were affected. Meanwhile, on 4 November the Israeli authorities informed the High Court of Justice of their decision to demolish an illegal outpost comprising some dozen Israeli families that had been established in recent months in an abandoned military base in the Jordan Valley.”

   2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

8. “On 24 October, a 21-year-old Palestinian man was shot and killed by the IDF during clashes following an IDF weapons search near Tubas in the northern West Bank. On 26 October, in the context of clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians near Ramallah, Israeli security forces shot and killed a 33-year-old Palestinian and injured nine others; another 28-year-old Palestinian subsequently died of his wounds later in November. Israeli settlement activity continues to advance, eating away at the viability of a contiguous future Palestinian State. I reiterate that all settlement activities are illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace, and must immediately cease. On 5 November, Israeli authorities advanced two plans for a total of 264 housing units in the East Jerusalem settlement ofRamot.”

   2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

9. “I also urge Hamas and other Palestinian militants to end the indiscriminate firing of rockets into southern Israel and to stop all violence near the fence, including attempts to breach it. Overall in the reporting period, Israeli security forces killed 31 Palestinians in Gaza, including four children. One IDF soldier was killed during the 11 November operation. Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli security forces killed four Palestinians. On 22 October, Israeli security forces shot and killed a Palestinian man in Hebron after he was reported to have stabbed and injured an Israeli soldier. Three other attempts against Israeli civilians or Israeli security forces personnel were reported near the Kiryat Arba and Kfar Adumim settlements on 5 and 6 November, and in Jerusalem on 14 November.”

   2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

10. “In response, the IDF targeted 95 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad military sites across the Strip. A hospital in the vicinity of one of the targets was damaged, as were several homes in Gaza City. On 28 October, the IDF struck and killed three Palestinian children aged 13 to 15 in the southern Gaza Strip, who they said were placing improvised explosive devices at the security fence - a claim refuted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights. Protests the next day saw some 3,000 participants, with 1 Palestinian killed and another 15 injured by IDF live fire. I remain very concerned by Israel's persistent use of live fire against protesters. I call on the authorities to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from using lethal force, except as a last resort.”

    2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

11. “It is in the interests of peace. The success of international efforts in Gaza depends on the parties' willingness to confront the inevitable hurdles, withstand the internal political consequences and stay committed to the reconciliation process over the long term. If any side fails, every side fails. Hamas and militant groups must stop all provocations and attacks. Israel must significantly improve the movement and access of goods and people to and from Gaza as a step towards the lifting ofthe closures, in line with resolution 1860 (2009). The Palestinian Authority must strengthen its engagement in Gaza, which is an integral part of the Palestinian territory. In earlier incidents, before the most recent escalation on 26 and 27 October, 34 rockets were launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad towards Israel.”

    2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

12. “My team and I will continue to engage with the Palestinian Government, donors and partners on the ground to support several initiatives. These include finding a sustainable solution to Gaza's electricity and health problems, increasing the supply of potable water and medical supplies, and sewage treatment. These should take place alongside concerted efforts to rescue the economy through cash-for-work and other emergency measures. Yet, the international community cannot bear the burden of addressing Gaza's problems alone. The primary responsibility falls on the parties themselves. The clock on intra-Palestinian reconciliation is ticking. I urge all Palestinian parties to not waste time and engage in earnest and achieve Visible progress in the coming six months. This is in the interests of the Palestinian people.”

    2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

13. “I reiterate the United Nations sincere gratitude to the Government of the State of Qatar for the generous funding to this end. The impact has been immediate. Water supply has increased, the risk of sewage overflow has been reduced, hospitals are less dependent on precarious generators, street lights are on again, children can study and play, and families have more cash in hand to meet their daily needs. These improvements, however, are temporary. They provide much-needed relief, but can do little to reverse the long-standing, structural problems affecting Gaza, driven by years of crippling closures and Hamas control. The implementation of the other urgent humanitarian interventions in Gaza must also be expedited.”

    2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

14. “The latest outbreak of violence came just as the United Nations and its partners were intensifying efforts to alleviate Gaza's deepening humanitarian and economic crises and, critically, to provide space for ongoing Egyptian-led efforts to advance intra-Palestinian reconciliation. This is essential to ending the occupation and resolving the wider political conflict. Significant headway has already been made on the implementation of the package of urgent interventions endorsed by the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Coordination of International Assistance to Palestinians at its September meeting, held in New York. In October, the United Nations started importing and monitoring the delivery of donor-funded fuel to Gaza's power station. This resulted in the greatest supply of electricity since March 2017 - a minimum of 11 hours per day.”

    2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

15. “The IDF responded in turn with a series of air strikes on 160 militant targets, including a Hamas-affiliated television station and a hotel, resulting in the killing seven Palestinians - at least four identified by the Israeli army as members of armed groups. The fragility of the situation underscores the urgent need to fundamentally change the dynamics on the ground that address the underlying political issues. Two million Palestinians in Gaza cannot be held hostage to political grandstanding and brinkmanship. Their lives matter and they deserve real leadership that addresses the real problems of Gaza.”

    2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

16. “The escalation was triggered by an operation Israel Defense Forces (IDF) inside the Gaza Strip in which a local commander of Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades and six other Palestinians were killed. One IDF officer was also killed and a second injured in an incident. In the following two days, militants in Gaza launched some 450 rockets and mortars at Israel, including at the towns ofAshkelon, Sderot and Netivot, killing one Palestinian civilian and seriously wounding one Israeli civilian. An IDF soldier was also seriously wounded by a targeted anti-tank guided-missile strike on a bus transporting military personnel in Kfar Aza.”

    2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

17. “Mr. Mladenov: In recent days, we have witnessed another dangerous escalation of violence in Gaza that risked unleashing an armed conflict with catastrophic consequences for 2 million impoverished Palestinians - people who live under the control of Hamas and have endured three wars and crippling Israeli closures. The Secretary-General warned that a new war in Gaza would bring forth another unbearable tragedy and urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint. My team and I worked closely with Egypt and all concerned parties to ensure a return to the 2014 ceasefire arrangements. Thankfully, a precarious restoration of calm has now been achieved. We must all work to ensure that this calm is maintained. The period of 11 to 13 November saw one of the fiercest exchanges of fire since the 2014 Gaza conflict.”

    2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source

18. “Palestinians deserve to be masters of their own fate, to be governed by democratically elected institutions, to have a State of their own that lives in peace and security with the State oflsrael - Without the walls of occupation, without the fear of reprisal or displacement, and certainly without the fear that the entirety of their lives will be spent struggling with no end in sight.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

19. “I welcome the reopening on 15 October of the Quneitra crossing, which was facilitated by the parties to the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement. In closing, let me reiterate that we must break out of the endless cycle of emergency responses and stop-gap measures. The Palestinian people 4 whether they live in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in Gaza, or as refugees in the region - deserve sustainable and just solutions, just as the people of Israel deserve peace and security. Both deserve to have their national dignity and identity respected and to build a better future for themselves and their families.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

20. “Turning to the situation on the Golan, military conflict on the Bravo side ceased in late July, with the Syrian Government regaining control of parts of the area of separation that had previously been under the control of various non-State armed opposition groups. In recent weeks, low levels of military activity have been observed in the areas of separation and limitation on the Bravo side. The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has assessed that this is due to controlled detonations of explosive ordnance as part of the clearance by Syrian security forces. I personally visited UNDOF facilities in the Israeli-occupied Golan on 4 October and was encouraged with the progress made in implementing the phased UNDOF plan for the continued return of forces to the Bravo side.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

21. “Prime Minister-designate Hariri continues consultations for an agreement on a national unity Government. I hope that the political stakeholders will soon overcome their differences and provide Lebanon with a new Government that can deliver on its commitments vis-a-vis its citizens and the international community. While the situation in southern Lebanon and along the Blue Line remained calm, the rhetoric between Israel and Lebanon underpins a risk of miscalculation. It is essential that the parties refrain from provocative actions and renew their commitment to resolution 1701 (2006) in word and deed. Furthermore, I call on the Lebanese authorities to complete the investigation into the 4 August attack on a patrol of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

22. “The Government's return to Gaza and the lifting of the suffocating movement and access restrictions are necessary for addressing not only the humanitarian and economic needs of the population in a sustainable manner, but also the very important political challenges ahead. In addition to the unification of all Palestinians under one single, legitimate Palestinian National Authority, the bigger picture must also be addressed - an end to the occupation and the realization of a two-State solution based on relevant United Nations resolutions, with Gaza as an integral part. Make no mistake - the consequences of failure would be severe, just as the benefits of success would be profound. Briefly turning to Lebanon, the country has entered its fifth month without a Government.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

23. “The Palestinian Authority must not disengage from Gaza and must continue its engagement with the international community to help alleviate the suffering of its people in Gaza. Any effort by any party to block the provision of critical assistance designed to relieve humanitarian suffering must not be tolerated. These steps are only temporary and aim at avoiding war. We must never forget that, at its heart, Gaza is not a humanitarian problem. It is a political problem. Humanitarian efforts are taking place in coordination with and in support of Egyptian efforts to bring Gaza back under the full control of the legitimate Palestinian Government.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

24. “I appeal to all Council members and to all friends of Israel and Palestine to join the United Nations in calling on all sides to step back from the brink. All parties must maintain their continued commitment to the 2014 ceasefire arrangements. Hamas and other militant groups must immediately and effectively stop all provocations and attacks, including rockets and mortars, IEDs, attempts to breach the fence, incendiary balloons and kites and tunnel construction, and rein in all violence at the border. Israel must restore the delivery of critical supplies to Gaza and improve the movement and access of goods and people, and Israeli security forces must exercise maximum restraint in the use of live ammunition.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

25. “I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Government of the State of Qatar for its swift and generous response to the AHLC call by providing some $60 million for fuel to increase the supply of electricity in the Gaza Strip. Relieving the humanitarian pressure on the ground will reduce the threat of escalation and give space for Egyptian-led efforts to return the legitimate Palestinian Government to Gaza. The Middle East Quartet has also endorsed that approach. Disengaging from Gaza, plunging it into another conflict or tightening the closures furthers the divide, with devastating humanitarian and political consequences for the Palestinian national cause.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

26. “Member States contributed generously to the Agency, raising some $122 million. This very impressive collective international effort has prevented an immediate shutdown of key UNRWA services, including in Gaza. Nevertheless, a significant funding gap remains. Also on 27 September, the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Coordination of International Assistance to Palestinians (AHLC) agreed on the implementation of an urgent set of humanitarian projects in Gaza. Those interventions are aimed at addressing the immediate energy, water, sanitation, health care and economic needs of the population. The goals are concrete, realistic and achievable. There is no discussion of projects such as airports, seaports or sea channels.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

27. “Unfortunately, they also fit a pattern of provocations that seek to bring Israel and Gaza into another deadly conflict. It is our responsibility to do everything possible to avoid that outcome. I am afraid that there is no more time for words. Now is the time for action, and we must see very clear actions on all sides that de-escalate the situation. Otherwise, the consequences will be terrible for everyone. My second key message is cautiously more optimistic. There is a growing consensus and determination among key international and regional partners on moving forward to defuse the powder keg that is Gaza. On 27 September, a ministerial meeting on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was held on the margins ofthe high-level general debate.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

28. “That will not only alleviate the suffering of 2 million Palestinians, but will give political leaders time to achieve progress in reconciliation. Since the beginning of this process, the United Nations has firmly held that we need to make every effort to return Gaza to the control of the legitimate Palestinian Government. But let me assure the Council that, barring substantial steps to reverse the current course, this precarious sense of calm is doomed to give way under the mounting pressure. It is already beginning to fray. Recent days have seen tensions and violent confrontations rising again. That should be of great concern to all ofus. The gravity ofthe situation compels us to take decisive action. The latest rockets that were fired from Gaza towards Beersheba are a dangerous escalation of the situation.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

29. “Every second person in Gaza now lives below the poverty line. All key indicators - humanitarian, economic, security and political - continue to deteriorate. We remain on the brink of another potentially devastating conflict - a conflict that nobody claims to want, but a conflict that needs much more than just words to be prevented. As I have outlined in detail in recent months, the United Nations and its partners have engaged, in response to requests from several Security Council members, in an extraordinary effort to stabilize the situation in Gaza and prevent an escalation. We have done so in full coordination with Egypt and in full transparency with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The effort has aimed at avoiding war and facilitating a return to the informal understandings reached in 2014 to maintain calm.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

30. “In response to violence at the fence, for the third time since March, on 7 October Israel reduced the permissible fishing area off the Gaza coast from nine to six nautical miles. Again on 17 October, following the rocket attack on Beersheba, Israel further reduced the fishing zone to three nautical miles and closed all crossings between Israel and Gaza. I brief the Council today as we enter a pivotal phase in Egyptian-led efforts to overcome intra-Palestinian divisions. I would like to convey two very clear messages to the Council. The first is that the situation in Gaza is imploding. That is not hyperbole; it is not alarmism. It is a reality. The World Bank recently warned that the Gaza economy is in free fall, with an official unemployment rate of 53 per cent and over 70 per cent among Palestinian youth.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

31. “After the 9 August Grad rocket that landed in the outskirts of Beersheba, that was the second projectile to reach such a distance since the 2014 conflict. Three Israelis were reportedly injured. A second rocket landed in the sea south-west of Tel Aviv. The Israeli air force responded with a series of air strikes, firing at several locations, most of them identified as military sites around Gaza. One Palestinian militant was killed and at least two were injured in a strike on a group that was in the process of launching rockets. On 11 October, the Israeli Defence Forces announced that they had destroyed another tunnel extending from near the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza, some 200 meters inside Israeli territory.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

32. “Seven people were killed and over 150 injured by live fire on that day alone. Incendiary kites launched from Gaza started fires, an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated at the fence and a group of protesters breached the fence and entered Israeli territory on that day. In addition, overall during the reporting period, Palestinian militants fired two rockets that landed in Israel. Israel responded by launching 45 missiles and shells at sites in the Gaza Strip. In the early hours of 17 October, Palestinian militants fired a rocket from central Gaza towards Israel that hit and significantly damaged a residential house in the Israeli city of Beersheba. The city, some 40 kilometres from Gaza and well beyond the ring of communities in the immediate vicinity of the Strip, can be reached only by medium-range rockets.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

33. “I call on the authorities to ensure smooth access of Palestinian farmers to their land and that sufficient measures be taken to protect farmers and their property from attacks. In recent weeks, protests at the Gaza fence have expanded to include night demonstrations. Hamas and other militants continued to send incendiary kites and balloons across the border, causing fires on the Israeli side. The Israeli Defence Forces have responded with riot dispersal means and live fire. Thirty-three Palestinians, including nine children, have been killed by Israeli security forces during demonstrations and other incidents. Soldiers were meanwhile injured. Intense clashes took place at the Gaza fence during Friday protests on 12 October, in which an estimated 20,000 Palestinians participated.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

34. “On 12 October, a Palestinian woman was killed near a checkpoint south of Nablus; she had been injured by stones allegedly thrown by Israeli assailants. I extend my condolences to the bereaved families. Such incidents must be condemned in the strongest of terms, and I call on everyone to stand up to violence and condemn terror. Settler-related violence is also a continuing concern. There were 23 attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians, resulting in 1 death, 12 injuries and property damage. To date in 2018, according to OCHA, over 1,600 Palestinian-owned trees have been vandalized across the West Bank. As the annual olive harvest begins, concerns are particularly high.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

35. “Meanwhile, on 14 October the Israeli Government reportedly approved the allocation of $6 million for advancing the construction of 31 housing units in the Jewish settlement in Hebron, which would be the first new construction there in 16 years. I reiterate the long- standing United Nations position that all settlement activities are illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace. Violent incidents also continued in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Among those, on 7 October an Israeli man and woman were shot dead by a Palestinian man in the Barkan Industrial Area in the West Bank. The assailant fled the scene and the Israeli security forces are currently carrying out a widespread search operation in the area.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

36. “The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, along with the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, the League of Arab States and others, have called on Israel not to go ahead with its plan to demolish the village. I once again join that call for a cessation of demolitions and other measures that run contrary to Israel's obligations under international law. All structures lacking permits from the Israeli authorities in Area C and East Jerusalem, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain, are potentially subject to demolition. While the rate of demolitions has declined since the beginning of 2017, over 13,000 demolition orders are pending against structures in Area C, three-quarters of which are on private Palestinian land.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

37. “On 23 September, the Israeli authorities requested the residents of Khan Al-Ahmar/Abu Al-Helu to self-demolish their homes by 1 October or face demolition by the authorities, in line with the 5 September final ruling of the Israeli High Court. On 8 October, the authorities extended the validity of land requisition orders for roadwork to enable the demolition. The community was given one week to object to the order. Khan Al-Ahmar is among the 18 communities located in or adjacent to the controversial E-l area, where plans for new settlement construction would create a continuous built-up area between the Ma'ale Adumim and East Jerusalem, undermining the contiguity of a future Palestinian State.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

38. “Before I turn to the most urgent questions related to the situation in Gaza, I would like to begin with developments in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where violence is on the rise and the Israeli authorities have continued the demolition and confiscation of Palestinian-owned structures. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 39 structures were demolished or seized in the West Bank, including five in East Jerusalem, displacing approximately 33 people and affecting the livelihoods of over 100 others. Thirty- four of the targeted structures were in Area C, including five installed in solidarity with Khan Al-Ahmar/Abu Al-Helu, the Bedouin community at imminent risk of demolition and displacement.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

39. “Day after day, however, we see the situation on the ground slipping in a different direction. We see it sliding into a one-State reality of perpetual occupation and violence that does not serve peace; we see the international consensus on how to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict being challenged. Yet we all understand that without a negotiated resolution based on the final-status issues - as they have been defined by Israelis and Palestinians themselves - there can be no sustainable peace that realizes the national, historic and religious aspirations of both peoples. It is our shared responsibility to restore that prospect, to facilitate negotiations, to help the weaker party, to insulate the process from radicals and extremists and to show results.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

40. “Mr. Mladenov: Every month, I brief the Council on the situation in the Middle East and the Palestinian question. Every month, we speak of how continuing settlement construction and the demolition of Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank undermine the very foundations of the prospect of a sovereign Palestinian State. We condemn terror, violence and incitement that eat away at the trust between Israelis and Palestinians, and we call for unity and reconciliation. Every month, we appeal to political leaders on both sides to find their way back to the table for negotiations, to reverse the negative trends on the ground and to restore hope that it is through peaceful negotiations, not violence, that both Israelis and Palestinians will be able to live side by side, masters of their own fate.”

    2018-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8375 (2018) · source

41. “I urge all sides to continue to engage with each other and with the international community to preserve and advance its achievement. Finally, let underline today that the urgency of the situation that we face on the ground is really desperate. Gaza could explode at any minute. We have a humanitarian responsibility to react. But we must also understand that it cannot be solved on the basis of humanitarian action alone. It must be solved with a political perspective to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We have a responsibility to support the parties in this prospect.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source

42. “It was a historic moment that captured the world's attention and filled Palestinians, Israelis and the region with hope that genuine peace could be realized. Sadly, that courageous vision of lasting peace now lies in tatters. We must restore that hope. There is an alternative to this perpetual cycle of violence. We must overcome the current impasse and refocus our efforts on ultimately returning to meaningful negotiations to end the occupation and bring about a just, lasting and comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - a resolution based on two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States, based on the 1967 lines and in line with the relevant United Nations resolutions and previous agreements.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source

43. “Support for emergency fuel is urgently needed to avoid a total collapse of critical services in hospitals and sewage treatment. The Deputy Special Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, Jamie MCGoldrick, made two emergency appeals to donors in August for new funding, and I reiterate the urgency of his calls. It is also critical that UNRWA be able to continue to deliver its vital services. In addition, the United Nations is working with several donors to advance key interventions that will immediately improve the situation on the ground, both in Gaza and the West Bank. I urge donors to consider support for those activities, which play a vital role in preventing further escalation. Twenty-five years have now passed since the signing of the Oslo Accords.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source

44. “There has been no positive movement by the parties to take steps to reverse the negative trends on the ground. By complying with their obligations under previous agreements and the relevant United Nations resolutions, the parties can, and must, reverse the current course. Israel should make progress on the transition to greater Palestinian civil authority of powers and responsibilities in Area C, on improving Palestinian economic prospects, as well as access to housing, water, energy, communications, agriculture, and natural resources, and on significantly easing Palestinian movement restrictions. The United Nations has been working tirelessly to address the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis on the ground.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source

45. “I reiterate that Israeli security forces have a responsibility to exercise maximum restraint in the use of live fire and must not resort to lethal force unless in response to an imminent threat of death or serious injury. The continued use of live fire by the Israeli Defense Forces is deeply concerning. The killing of children is absolutely unacceptable. I call on the international community to join the United Nations in condemning violence and incitement, which continue to fuel a climate of mutual fear and mistrust while hindering efforts to bridge the gaps between both sides. As explicitly outlined in the 2016 report of the Middle East Quartet (S/2016/595, annex), current trends are imperilling the viability of the two-State solution.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source

46. “All sides - and I underline all - must continue their positive engagement with Egypt and the United Nations and do their part. Hamas and other armed militant groups must stop all provocations and attacks. Israel must improve the movement and access regime for Gaza. The Palestinian Authority must remain engaged in Gaza. The international community must address the urgent humanitarian needs. And, finally, Fatah and Hamas must engage in earnest with Egypt in order to bring back the legitimate Government to Gaza. I once again call for all violent actions, which continue to endanger the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians, to stop immediately. Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law. I urge Hamas and other Palestinian militants to end the indiscriminate firing ofrockets into southern Israel.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source

47. “Particularly alarming are legal and administrative steps that could consolidate and expand settlement activity deep in the West Bank, further undermining the contiguity of a future Palestinian State. The persistent threat of demolitions and displacement of Palestinians in Area C, including in Khan Al-Ahmar/Abu Al- Helu, is of great concern. The 5 September decision ofthe High Court of Justice places the Bedouin community at imminent risk of demolition. Demolitions undermine the prospects for a two-State solution and are also in violation of international law. Violence, terror and the risk of conflict in Gaza remain an obstacle to peace. I welcome the calm since 9 August, butI am very concerned by consistent attempts to undermine it.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source

48. “The World Bank has increased its allocation from $55 million to $90 million for the West Bank and Gaza over the next year, part of which will be used to create approximately 4,400 short-term employment opportunities. The United Nations Development Programme has also accelerated its emergency economic assistance programme, with support from several donors. I would now like to share some broad observations concerning the implementation of the provisions of resolution 2334 (2016) during the reporting period. First, the expansion of Israeli settlements remains illegal under international law and continues to erode the viability of a two-State solution.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source

49. “Since the escalation ofhostilities in Gaza in July, the United Nations has led an unprecedented effort with the Governments of Egypt, Israel and other international partners to prevent another outbreak of hostilities, respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs and support the return of the legitimate Palestinian Government to Gaza, a crucial element in any political effort to resolve the wider conflict. The United Nations has enhanced its capacity in Gaza to work with the Palestinian Government and Israeli counterparts to support donor implementation on all issues related to the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism and provide accountable and transparent reporting to donors.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source

50. “On 10 September, it closed the Palestine Liberation Organization Office in Washington, DC, citing its failure to take steps towards meaningful negotiations with Israel and concerns with Palestinian attempts to prompt an investigation of Israel by the International Criminal Court. The Palestinian Central Council convened in August and ratified the continued severance of political relations with the United States until the latter revisits its decision regarding Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and settlements. On 5 September, the Government of Paraguay announced that it would reverse the previous decision from May to relocate its Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and move it back to Tel Aviv.”

    2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8358 (2018) · source