YouSaid · the spoken record

Prendergast

lines on the record: 716
first: 1999-08-27
most recent: 2018-09-10
sittings or episodes: 36
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“This implies a realization by Iraqis that failure to engage in national dialogue and reconciliation could bring strife far more damaging than the compromises either side would have to make under an agreed peace. The key to forging such a national understanding is the making of the new constitution. Iraq's most immediate challenge is to form a transitional Government that is broadly representative of Iraqi society and to find ways to bring together all Iraqi constituencies in a national effort to define the future of their country. The prospect of a referendum just eight months from now should serve as an important incentive for an inclusive, participatory and transparent constitutional process, given that a two-thirds vote for rejection in three governorates would block the adoption of the new constitution.”
2005-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5123 (2005) · source
“In accordance with its mandate, the United Nations stands ready to assist with this effort. The security situation remains fragile and challenging, as demonstrated by the resumption of daily attacks against Iraqis and foreigners alike. However, we hope that the elections will mark a watershed and that success in making the political transition more inclusive will have a positive effect on the security situation. From our experience in Afghanistan and elsewhere, we have learned that the challenge in any political transition ultimately lies in achieving a sustainable process that leads to an outcome - in this case, a constitution and a legitimately elected parliament and Government - in which all Iraqis feel that they have a stake.”
2005-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5123 (2005) · source
“The electoral assistance team, which, in addition to United Nations personnel, included experts from the European Union, the United Kingdom, Chile and the International Foundation for Election Systems, provided technical, logistical, financial and administrative assistance to the Commission in a number of key areas. It is clear from the overall level of participation that the majority of the Iraqi people are committed to the political transition process that the country is undergoing. But regional variations were significant. As I have already noted, the turnout among Arab Sunnis was markedly lower than for other communities. This is something that needs to be addressed if there is to be more complete participation in the constitution-making process and the referendum.”
2005-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5123 (2005) · source
“We are pleased that the Iraqis were able to hold elections despite all the difficulties. The elections were an important staging post, successfully reached, in the long and difficult process of political transition. We are proud of the role played by the United Nations, pursuant to our mandate based on resolution 1546 (2004). Under the overall responsibility of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ashraf Qazi, and the able direction of Mr. Carlos Valenzuela, and with the support of the Electoral Assistance Division, headed by Ms. Carina Perelli, the United Nations electoral assistance team was able to work effectively with the members of the Independent Electoral Commission to ensure that all the necessary preparations were put in place within a very tight time frame.”
2005-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5123 (2005) · source
“The number of serious irregularities and complaints conveyed to the Independent Electoral Commission has been relatively small, and all complaints are being investigated and addressed by the Commission. The results announced on 13 February confirm an overall turnout of more than 8 million voters for the elections to the Transitional National Assembly. We shall have to await the final certification of results by the Commission in order to have the final allocation of seats and thus know the breadth of the spectrum of political representation. The electoral system - proportional representation with a single national constituency - was chosen precisely with the aim of facilitating a wide range of representation. But it is clear that, for whatever reason, turnout was low in areas with a high percentage of Sunni Arabs.”
2005-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5123 (2005) · source
“On election day, the Secretary-General paid tribute to the courage of the Iraqi people and congratulated the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq as well as the thousands of Iraqi election workers and monitors, on having carried out their elections within such a limited time frame and under such challenging circumstances. The successful conduct of the elections has rightly been met with positive responses, both inside and outside Iraq, including from the Council. The elections met recognized standards in terms of election organization, regulations and procedures. The assessments of Iraqi and international observers indicate overall satisfaction with the conduct of the polls.”
2005-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5123 (2005) · source
“Mr. Prendergast: The simultaneous holding of three elections in Iraq on 30 January 2005 - for the Transitional National Assembly, 18 governorate councils and the Kurdistan National Assembly - was a momentous event for Iraqis and for the international community. Although only a first step, it marks a significant development in Iraq's transition to democratic government, as outlined in Security Council resolution 1546 (2004). Despite attempts at violent disruption, Iraqis turned out in large numbers to exercise their right to vote.”
2005-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5123 (2005) · source
“We, the international community - particularly through the Quartet - need to lend our support, our assistance, our active engagement, to make clear to both parties that we expect real progress. The parties, in turn, need to take those steps necessary to implement the road map, to halt the bloodshed and suffering, and to move forward to achieve the goal of a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement in which two independent and viable States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“The resumption and completion of peace negotiations between Israel and Syria and the implementation of resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) remain indispensable ingredients of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Let me close by saying that there is a palpable sense of expectation of real, substantial and sustainable change in the region. Optimism has - at least for now - replaced long and bitter years of disillusion, despair and hopelessness. The potential is there; but so is the danger that the fragile new process might falter and fail. We must not allow that to happen. Israelis and Palestinians have a great deal of work ahead of them. Their respective new leaderships are in a position to carry out much of it, but they will continue to need our help.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“Prior to that incident, the situation along the Blue Line had been relatively calm since my last briefing to the Council. The only violations that had taken place were Israeli overflights. Seventeen Israeli air violations of the Blue Line were recorded - nine of them on a single day, 29 December, when a total of 20 Israeli jets crossed the Blue Line into Lebanese airspace. Both the Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and the Secretary-General's Personal Representative for Southern Lebanon expressed their concern over those violations and reiterated the Organization's call on the Israeli authorities to halt them. There has been no progress yet on the Syrian- Israeli track, despite yet another offer of mediation, this time by the Government of Turkey.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“The Security Council was briefed on Monday about the details of that deplorable incident, in which a Hizbullah roadside bomb attack against an Israeli military patrol vehicle killed one Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldier and wounded three others, and subsequent IDF tank and machine-gun fire killed a French officer serving with the United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon and wounded a Swedish colleague. The Hizbullah attack and its aftermath constituted grave violations of the Blue Line. In a statement, the Secretary-General condemned the military escalation and urged both parties to exercise maximum restraint. He also underscored the responsibility of both Lebanon and Israel to ensure the safety of United Nations personnel deployed in the region.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“Coordination between the parties and active support from the international community are needed to achieve a successful disengagement plan that will lead to further steps on the implementation of the road map and the resumption of full peace negotiations. A stark illustration of how fragile the situation is in the Middle East was recently given on another front of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Six months of relative quiet along the Blue Line were disrupted on 9 January, the day of the Palestinian election.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“In this immediate transitional stage, it is crucial to support Palestinian reform efforts - especially in the areas of security and governance - and to ensure that the Palestinian Authority is financially secure and able to meet the humanitarian needs of the population. In that context, we welcome Prime Minister Blair's initiative to convene an international meeting, and we believe it will provide a valuable opportunity to discuss important issues on the agenda of the new Palestinian leadership. We consider that initiative to be an important step towards implementing the road map and achieving its full objectives. It is also urgent to encourage both parties to resume contacts and work together to prepare for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and part of the West Bank.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“Israeli settlement activity - including the natural growth of settlements - has not been frozen, as Israel is obliged to do under the road map. During 2004, according to recent reports, the number of people living in West Bank and Gaza strip settlements rose by 6 per cent. Even the settlements in the Gaza Strip that are slated for evacuation grew by 7 per cent; indeed, three of them recorded growth rates of between 21 and 29 per cent over the previous year. On the Palestinian side, we want to see the establishment of credible and reformed institutions which make a tangible impact in terms of efforts by the Palestinian Authority to put an end to the violence and terror.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“Continued financial support for the Palestinian Authority remains of great significance. I have listed the positive developments of the last month, as well as the difficulties. How can we best assist the parties to move forward towards peace and to avoid the painful and all-too-frequent setbacks suffered in the past? For that to be done effectively, we need to start by being clear about our own priorities. Also, it is crucial that we all work together, guided by the framework of the Quartet and the road map process, as agreed by the parties and by the Council. Thirdly, we need to impress on Israelis and Palestinians that both of them must act towards fulfilling their road map obligations. Both parties have important steps to take.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“World Bank President James Wolfensohn reiterated during a recent visit to the area that additional financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority could be considered feasible only if Israel eased the existing restrictions. That remains a vital measure to be taken. The Palestinian Authority's stability - and with it, prospects for real and tangible reform and political progress - is crucially dependent on a sound fiscal base. Although the Palestinian Authority exhibited strong revenue performance in 2004, it has remained under pressure, owing to a much lower disbursement of external budget support than originally envisaged and to a growing wage bill. December salaries could be paid only as a result of a welcome $20 million contribution from the United States and the release of arrears by the Government of Israel.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“We have aimed to develop a structure that will focus on the technical task of gathering claims of damage relating to the construction of the barrier. Details of the staffing, size and cost of the office remain to be worked out, and on those issues the Secretary-General will revert to the Assembly in due course. The construction of the barrier and restrictions on movement in the form of checkpoints, curfews and the permit system are the chief reasons for the continuing socio-economic crisis in the Palestinian areas. As we have repeatedly stated, lifting restrictions on freedom of movement is an indispensable ingredient of economic recovery.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“His call appears to be in accord with majority opinion among Palestinians. In a poll conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Public Opinion on 21 December, some 60 per cent of Palestinians expressed support for an end to armed struggle. As the Council is aware, the General Assembly, in its resolution ES-10/15, requested that the Secretary- General establish a register of damage in connection with the barrier. The Secretary-General, on Tuesday, 11 January 2005, sent a letter to the President of the General Assembly setting out a framework for the register. It will consist of an independent board, legal and technical experts and a small secretariat - a registry. The board will have overall responsibility for the register and will establish rules and regulations governing the work of the registry.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“During a military operation in Khan Younis that ended on 19 December, 11 Palestinians, at least three of whom were civilian, were killed, and 50, including several children, were injured. Once again, we have to remind Israel of its legal obligations under international law to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians and to refrain from the disproportionate use of force. We call on both parties to exercise restraint and to focus their efforts now on ending the violence, the terror and the military operations that kill and injure civilians and destroy civilian property and infrastructure. In that context, it is positive to note the new Palestinian President's reiteration of his long- standing position of advocating an end to the armed uprising as the way to confront the occupation.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“This marked increase in attacks came despite the admirable public calls by PLO Chairman and now President Mahmoud Abbas to end rocket attacks against Israeli targets. We hope that the new Palestinian leadership will meet its security reform obligations under the road map and do its utmost to prevent such attacks and bring to justice the perpetrators. In the same period, Israeli forces conducted a total of 40 military incursions and bulldozing operations, causing death and injury to Palestinian civilians as well as militants. In one tragic incident, on 4 January, seven Palestinian civilians were killed, including at least five children from the same family, when an IDF tank shell hit an agricultural area in Beit Lahia.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“I am glad to report the very positive development of Israel's release of 159 Palestinian prisoners on 27 December. Yet, although the potential for positive change and progress continues to be enormous, both have, literally, come under fire on an almost daily basis since my last briefing. In the past month, 64 Palestinians and 3 Israelis have been killed, and 243 Palestinians and 46 Israelis have been wounded. In the six weeks before last weekend's elections, Palestinian militants fired a total of 210 Qassam rockets and mortar shells against Israeli settlements in Gaza and civilian targets inside Israel. One Israeli settler and one Thai worker were killed as a result of those attacks.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“As I said here last month, the United Nations remains ready to assist the parties to maintain momentum at this crucial time and to shoulder their respective burdens. More generally, we believe that the international community will need to engage proactively to help the process along and to determine how best it can contribute to the revitalization of a sustainable peace process between the parties. The present period of opportunity challenges not only the parties, but all of us. Situations such as the present one in the Middle East are dynamic. They either evolve positively or they regress. They do not stand still for long. This underlines the need to develop momentum in the peace process and to maintain it. Confidence-building measures can be very helpful in restoring trust on both sides.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“As we have previously stated in this Council, we welcome and support the Israeli disengagement initiative as an important step towards achieving our common objective of an end to the occupation that began in 1967 and the establishment of an independent, sovereign, viable and contiguous Palestinian State alongside a secure Israel. Set in this context, Prime Minister Sharon's initiative provides a real opportunity to move ahead. The plan should be implemented as part of the road map and in coordination between the new Israeli Government and the new Palestinian leadership. In this context, it is welcome news that Prime Minister Sharon and the Palestinian President have already spoken of their intention to meet in the coming weeks.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“We look forward to working with the new President of the Palestinian Authority on the implementation of the road map and towards the realization of a viable two-State solution. There is not only a new Palestinian leadership. There is also a new Israeli coalition Government in place to tackle the implementation of Prime Minister Sharon's withdrawal initiative. The new Cabinet, in which the Likud party has been joined by Labor, as well as United Torah Judaism, is expected to decide later this month on the evacuation of settlements in the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“The Council will also recall that the first round of elections to municipal councils was held in 26 communities on 23 December, with some 150,000 eligible voters choosing from among more than 800 candidates. Those elections - the first at the municipal level since 1967 - witnessed a high-local voter turnout of up to 81 per cent. One encouraging result of the vote was that women won 51 out of a total of 297 seats in the 26 municipalities. The next round of local elections is due to take place in 11 communities in the Gaza Strip on 27 January. The commitment of the Palestinian people to democracy and its institutions is a strong foundation on which President Abbas can build.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“Overall, the situation remained calm on election day, as Israeli forces generally allowed free movement and reduced their own activity inside the Palestinian areas. The United Nations continued its long-standing work in support of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission and provided technical assistance for the preparation and conduct of the elections. We also established a United Nations Liaison Support Unit, which facilitated contacts with Palestinian and Israeli authorities and extended assistance to many of the international observers present in the occupied Palestinian territory. Our technical support to the Palestinians will continue, with a focus on the upcoming elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council, scheduled for 17 July.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“[...] The successful organization of this election demonstrates the potential for the start of a new era in Palestinian politics and the development of representative and accountable governance." Similarly, the European Union (EU) Electoral Observation Mission's Chief Observer, former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard, stated: "As a result of this electoral process, the Palestinian people will benefit from a democratically elected and internationally recognized leadership, which will enable them to start to face the difficult challenges that lie ahead." Israel played a commendable part in facilitating the elections, although some problems remained and observers had to raise the issue of restrictions on the freedom of movement.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“The observation mission sent by the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and the Carter Center said in its preliminary statement on the vote, on 10 January: "The election was contested vigorously and administered fairly. Election day was orderly and generally peaceful.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“We also congratulate the Palestinian Central Elections Commission for the organization of credible and genuine elections under challenging conditions. The Palestinians have thus successfully completed another critical step in the historic democratic transition in the occupied Palestinian territory. A total of 775,146 Palestinians cast their votes in the 9 January poll, 60,000 more than voted in the 1996 elections. Some 800 international observers and 7,000 national observers monitored the vote. The observation missions are agreed that, in the main, the election was contested vigorously and administered fairly.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“Mr. Prendergast: In my briefing last month, I highlighted the potential for positive change presented by current developments in the Middle East. There remain many risks and the possibility of setbacks, but I am pleased to be able to report this morning that the overall trend of recent events tends to confirm that there exists a real opportunity to begin the long- delayed implementation of the road map's provisions and to start moving once again towards a settlement of the conflict. A new Palestinian President has been elected in a vote that is reported to have been conducted in a politically competitive, yet peaceful, atmosphere. We welcome President Mahmoud Abbas as the representative of the Palestinian people and extend our congratulations to him and to the entire Palestinian population in the occupied Palestinian territory.”
2005-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5111 (2005) · source
“Some momentum has already been created, but much work remains to be done if potential is to become achievement. We should make clear that we expect both Israel and the Palestinians to seize the moment to act constructively and to work within the framework of the road map. And each of us should do everything within our power to encourage and help the parties to persevere as they move along the narrow and difficult road that leads to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. For they will undoubtedly need our encouragement and our support. The meeting rose at 10.35 am.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“We were pleased to note that the Lebanese authorities spoke out against the incident and launched an investigation, but we reiterate our call on the Government of Lebanon to extend its authority over all its territory, as demanded in the relevant Security Council resolutions. Israel has meanwhile continued its intermittent air violations of the Blue Line. On 5 December, for example, 14 air violations were recorded. The United Nations has continued to call on Israel to cease the over-flights violating the Blue Line, while emphasizing to all parties that one violation does not justify another. Let us hope - more than that, let us do our best to ensure - that the parties realize the potential of the moment and continue to build on it.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“Such statements by the two sides are particularly welcome because movement on the regional track would help to reinforce the momentum that is being created for progress with the peace process. The end goal is and must remain a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Unfortunately, tension has recently increased somewhat along the Blue Line. A hitherto unknown group claimed responsibility for the Katyusha attack against Israel of 15 November. In the aftermath of that attack, the United Nations called on Lebanon "to double its efforts in order to ensure an immediate halt to serious violations" of the Blue Line.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“When Terje Roed- Larsen visited Damascus in late November, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad reiterated his unequivocal willingness to resume negotiations with Israel without any conditions, within the framework of the relevant Security Council resolutions and the fundamental principle of land for peace. Both President Mubarak and King Abdullah have offered to mediate between Syria and Israel. We believe that the outstretched Syrian hand should be grasped. In that regard, we welcome Israeli Foreign Minister Shalom's statement at the Herzliya conference yesterday that Israel "should not deny a hand reaching out for peace" and should instead "examine it very carefully". Minister Shalom added that "these voices should not be ignored" and that "any declaration on wanting peace from an Arab leader is a positive declaration".”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“The end goal remains unchanged: the end of the occupation that began in 1967 and the establishment of an independent, sovereign, viable, democratic and contiguous Palestinian State living alongside Israel in peace and security. Both parties still have important steps to take. Israeli settlement activity, including the natural growth of settlements, has not been frozen, as Israel is obliged to do under the road map. The Palestinian Authority must take further steps to bring to a complete halt the violence and terror and to institute full reform of the security services, as it is required to do under the road map. Potential opportunities have also emerged more clearly on the wider regional track.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“In that sense, Prime Minister Sharon is indeed planning to go further than any other Israeli prime minister before him, evacuating Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory for the first time since 1967. That, and the statements by both parties that they are determined to seize the present opportunity, bring hope. The United Nations, together with its partners in the Quartet, stands ready to assist the parties to maintain momentum. We believe that now is the time to engage actively, to help the process along and to determine how best the international community can contribute to a revival of a sustainable peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“When the Israeli disengagement plan was presented as a unilateral initiative, the Quartet specified that if the Israeli withdrawal initiative was implemented in full coordination with the Palestinians and with the Quartet, then it could prove to be a key contribution towards a genuine revival of the peace process. The withdrawal should also lead to the end of the occupation of the Gaza Strip and should be accompanied by similar steps in the West Bank, and thus be fully consistent with the road map. The redeployment of Israeli troops, military installations and settlements, including settlers, can represent a step forward - with highly symbolic, precedent-setting significance - on the road towards ending the occupation that began in 1967 and towards achieving a lasting peace in the Middle East.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“The Quartet envoys remain in close contact with one another, with a view to coordinating and planning ahead beyond the crucial first step of the Palestinian elections. Both parties seem to have realized the potential for change that is inherent in the present situation. There exists at present a real opportunity to implement the road map's provisions and to make a huge leap towards a settlement of the conflict. There are two catalysts for this. One is the transitional process in the Palestinian Authority, which I have outlined above and where we have already seen significant movement towards the fulfilment of important Palestinian obligations under the road map. The second is the Israeli initiative to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“I would like to reiterate our firm belief that for the peoples on both sides, only a peace process and a full and final settlement of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians will enable a move from crisis management and recovery to sustained and sustainable development and prosperity. Meanwhile, the Quartet principals met on 23 November in Sharm el-Sheikh in the margins of the Iraq conference. They discussed the current transition in the Palestinian Authority and agreed that the immediate priorities were to provide technical support for the presidential elections and to help ensure the fiscal stability of the Palestinian governing body. I think it would be right to say that all members of the Quartet are united in their view that the situation at present is conducive to change: long overdue change; change for the better.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“To address the economic crisis, the main donor coordination body, the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, met last week in Oslo. The donors will continue to coordinate their efforts. They look forward to an improvement of conditions on the ground, which will enable them to maintain and increase their commitment. The new spirit of cooperation was underscored by the fact that, at the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, Palestinians, Israelis, and key representatives of the international community met for the first time in a year, in a meeting that was characterized as harmonious, constructive and creative. Israel's economy has not been exempt either from the consequences of conflict.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“Israel's construction of the barrier in the West Bank also continues, with worrisome consequences for the Palestinian population, despite the Government of Israel's ongoing revision of the barrier's route, which is moving closer to the Green Line. Barrier construction and movement restrictions are the chief reasons for the continuing economic crisis in the Palestinian areas. They reduce employment and they limit Palestinian access to basic services. The adjusted unemployment rate continues to stand at 32.6 per cent. Just over 40 per cent of Palestinians between the ages of 15 and 24 are unemployed. Approximately half the Palestinian population are living below the official poverty line of $2.10 per day; 16 per cent live in extreme poverty. Poverty breeds despair and extremism.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“On 29 November, a 38-year-old Palestinian physician was killed when Israeli forces fired tank shells and automatic gunfire towards the Rafah refugee camp. Five Palestinians were shot dead on 9 December along the Egyptian border in the Gaza Strip, though it remains unclear whether they were militants, smugglers or civilians. On 10 December, a 7-year-old girl was killed by Israeli forces in Khan Younis. Five Palestinian schoolchildren were wounded on 12 December, as an IDF tank fired three shells in the Khan Younis refugee camp, one of which exploded in a yard behind a school. Israel has continued to demolish houses and has maintained movement restrictions for the Palestinian population, although in an eased form.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“Four Palestinians were wounded on 9 December, when an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a car in the Gaza Strip in an attempt on the life of the leader of the Popular Resistance Committees, a militant faction based in Gaza. There have been reports that a wanted Islamic Jihad militant was killed by Israeli troops while he was lying on the ground, wounded and unarmed, during an arrest raid near Jenin in the West Bank on 3 December. We welcome the Israeli Defense Force's (IDF) announcement of an investigation of this incident. As we have said repeatedly, the Government of Israel must respect its legal obligations to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians and to refrain from the disproportionate use of force. On 20 November, two 15-year-old Palestinian stone-throwers were shot dead in Nablus.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“On 10 December, four Israelis were injured in a mortar attack on the settlement of Neve Dekalim. Five Israeli soldiers were killed and six were wounded on 12 December in an explosion beneath an Israeli military outpost close to the Rafah checkpoint on the Gaza-Egypt border. In the ensuing gun-battle, at least one Palestinian was killed. The Israeli air force also fired six missiles at targets in Gaza City, though, fortunately, no casualties were reported. Over the past two days, four Palestinians were killed in various incidents in the Gaza Strip, among them a taxi driver who was hit by Israeli gunfire near a checkpoint. Five Israelis were wounded in those incidents. During the reporting period, Israel has also continued to carry out illegal extrajudicial killings.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“Palestinian militants continue to fire mortar shells and Qassam rockets against Israeli settlements and targets inside Israel, albeit in reduced numbers. We hope that, in the coming weeks and months, a democratically empowered and strengthened Palestinian Authority will be able to meet fully its obligation under international law and under the road map to do its utmost to prevent such attacks. In the Gaza Strip, in particular, the situation has remained unstable. On 7 December, an Israeli soldier was killed and four others were wounded when Hamas militants set off a bomb near the Karni crossing in central Gaza. A prolonged gun-battle ensued, in which four Palestinians died, among them a 14-year-old bystander. Hours later, an Israeli helicopter fired a missile at suspected Palestinian militants in the area, killing one.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz has overseen the issuing of increased numbers of entrance permits to workers from the West Bank. And on 12 December, the Israeli Cabinet approved a prisoner release, the details of which are yet to be determined. We note with satisfaction and hope for the future that the overall level of violence has dropped in the past month. In that context, the United Nations has decided to reduce the current security rating for the Gaza Strip back to phase 3, after it had been raised to phase 4 earlier in the year. Nevertheless, casualty figures are still too high. Since our last briefing to the Council, 52 Palestinians and 7 Israelis have been killed, and 172 Palestinians and 29 Israelis have been injured. While there has been a reduction in the number of incidents, a disturbing level of violence continues.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“Sharon, has announced his willingness to cease all military incursions into Palestinian areas if calm prevails. The PLO Chairman and the Israeli Prime Minister have declared themselves willing to meet each other. In recognition of a long-standing Quartet condition, the Israeli Prime Minister has said that Israel would want to coordinate security arrangements with the Palestinian Authority for the planned implementation of his initiative to withdraw Israeli troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank and for the transfer of the evacuated areas to the Palestinians. In addition, Prime Minister Sharon has publicly acknowledged that incitement in the Palestinian media has dropped noticeably, in accordance with Palestinian obligations under the road map.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“A clear majority of 75 per cent favour the resumption of negotiations. Many Israelis believe that the current Palestinian leadership has been handling the affairs of the Palestinian Authority in a positive way. A majority think that the Government of Israel should facilitate living conditions of the Palestinian population in the occupied territory by ending closures and removing checkpoints - a belief which we wholeheartedly share. The Government of Israel has contributed meaningfully to enabling a positive transition period. Security cooperation between the parties has resumed. Prime Minister Sharon has spoken of contact between the parties that is "nearly daily, mainly to do with coordinating various things". Israel has scaled back military activity in areas under the control of the Palestinian Authority, and the Prime Minister, Mr.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“In contrast to many previous polls in recent years and months, the survey also found that Palestinians once again look to the future with hope. All Palestinian factions appear to have taken note of the shift in public opinion. Recently, senior Hamas leaders have spoken about the possibility of a long- term ceasefire with Israel and of accepting the establishment of a Palestinian State alongside Israel, within the 1967 borders and with Jerusalem as its capital. Such a ceasefire would greatly facilitate the ability of both parties to build on the potential opportunities of the present moment. The optimism and hope that prevails among Palestinians is mirrored on the Israeli side. According to the latest Peace Index, 70 per cent of the Jewish Israeli public are now more optimistic about the chances of peace with the Palestinians.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source
“Priority should be given to establishing a society based on the rule of law. In this context, we have also noted positively the Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman's frank assertion that "The Palestinian [security] apparatus needs discipline. There is security chaos; that is why we are seeking to unify the security apparatus." With the emergence of a more positive atmosphere, support among the Palestinian public for violent acts and terror directed against Israelis has declined dramatically. That is a critically important development. A poll conducted by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Centre found that, for the first time since September 2000, a majority of Palestinians oppose all acts of violence against Israel.”
2004-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5102 (2004) · source