YouSaid · the spoken record

Serry

lines on the record: 746
first: 2008-02-26
most recent: 2015-03-26
sittings or episodes: 33
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

“President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad must be commended for these achievements, which must be protected. The Secretary-General is also aware that the effectiveness of the Quartet has been called into question, including by members of the Council, and I have also in the past warned that the Quartet's credibility is at stake. In its recent meeting amid the Gaza crisis on 17 November, the League of Arab States cited the need to reconsider the Arab position towards the Palestinian cause, the peace process and other instruments, including the Quartet. The sense of urgency is now all the greater, and Quartet members must take stock of the events of the past months and reassess their role in shaping the way forward.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“The Secretary-General has said on numerous occasions that the Palestinians should have an independent and viable State of their own, living side by side with the State of Israel, in peace and security. A Palestinian State is long overdue; it is key to addressing the legitimate aspirations of both peoples and paramount to the stability of the region. The Secretary-General hopes that all concerned will look at the consequences of any decision they make responsibly. However, regardless of the outcome of the move in the General Assembly on 29 November, it is also important to plan for the day after, including protecting the crucial achievements of the Palestinian Authority in building robust State institutions. These steps have brought real security and economic improvements, but both are dangerously at risk.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“I held some discussions with young residents that impressed on me how the recent escalation had also placed the safety of millions ofIsraeIi civilians at risk, reaching far into the centre of the country. I would now like to turn to the stated Palestinian intention to present a draft resolution to the General Assembly related to the status of Palestine later this week. The passion that this potential move has generated is indicative of how far apart the parties remain. The United Nations Charter is clear that issues of recognition of a State and status in the General Assembly are a responsibility for Member States and the United Nations intergovernmental bodies, and not the Secretariat, to decide.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“The United Nations and its partners were able to rapidly respond to the needs of these families and on Saturday had already fully resumed pre-existing humanitarian operations that were ongoing prior to 14 November. I am pleased to report that virtually all families have now returned home. UNRWA and public schools reopened on 24 November and municipalities throughout the Gaza Strip have started to remove rubble. On the same day, I also visited Rishon Lezion, a suburb of Tel Aviv where a rocket from Gaza had destroyed large parts of an apartment building whose residents were fortunately unharmed. On behalf of the Secretary-General, I expressed my sympathies to the Israelis affected.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“I have visited refugee families - beneficiaries of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) - and extended my condolences as they lost several of their members in an Israeli airstrike. I also saw a newly built UNRWA school that had been badly damaged in the fighting, and I spoke to Gazan fishermen of the local cooperative whose office building was also affected by the fighting. The conclusion of hostilities prevented a large-scale humanitarian emergency. Nevertheless, there was a sharp increase in Palestinians leaving their homes to seek shelter in UNRWA and Government schools just before the ceasefire agreement was reached. At its peak, the number of internally displaced persons reached nearly 12,000.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“He has at the same time consistently condemned indiscriminate rocket fire against Israel, which is unacceptable and will only trigger escalation. Put simply, all parties must respect international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of all civilians, at all times. Distressed that conditions during his visit so shockingly resembled the situation four years ago, the Secretary-General has instructed me and the rest of the United Nations system to urgently activate recovery and humanitarian assistance in Gaza and to step up our existing support. Ivisited Gaza on Sunday and witnessed myself the destruction that resulted from the hostilities.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“In a particularly distressing example of civilians bearing the brunt of the suffering, 10 members of the Dalu family were killed in an Israeli air strike on their house on 18 November. Approximately 1,269 Palestinians were reported injured. Six Israelis - four civilians and two soldiers - were reported killed by Palestinian rocket fire, and 224 Israelis, the vast majority of them civilians, were injured. The bomb attack in Tel Aviv on 21 November, which the Secretary-General condemned in the strongest terms, injured 23 people, three severely. The Secretary-General has stressed that his paramount immediate concern is for the safety and well-being of all civilians, no matter where they are. He has condemned the excessive use of force that endangers Civilian lives.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“But it also essential that we address other aspects of resolution 1860 (2009), which calls for tangible steps towards Palestinian reconciliation. The Secretary-General has continually supported efforts for Palestinian unity in the context of the Palestine Liberation Organization commitments and the work of Egypt in this regard. It is my hope that the crisis in Gaza has also created an opportunity to overcome differences in very tangible ways. People, both in Gaza and in the West Bank, expect nothing less from their leaders. The devastating impact of the violence during the eight days of fighting is now clear. An estimated 158 Palestinians, including 103 civilians - 33 children and 13 women among them - were killed.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“Efforts to prevent the trafficking of arms and put in place long-term security arrangements should also be part of the discussion for a sustainable and durable calm. I am pleased to note that implementation has started in earnest and that Israel has, in principle, agreed to the extension of the maritime fishing limit to six nautical miles. This is already a significant result, but it is not sufficient on its own. More needs to be done with respect to crossings and freedom of movement. As a next concrete measure of progress, we hope to see a liberalization of import of construction material - including aggregate, steel bars and cement ~ through existing crossings. Exports from Gaza and transfers into the West Bank should also become part of the mechanism.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“At the same time, it will give Palestinians a strong additional stake in a durable calm if it leads to a lifting of the closure on Gaza. This is, at long last, an opportunity to address the underlying causes of conflict captured in resolution 1860 (2009), which provides the international legal framework for stabilizing the situation in Gaza. Core elements of the resolution remain unimplemented. These include an end to weapons smuggling and the full opening of crossings. The understanding now provides a framework to address the opening of crossings and facilitate the movement of people and the transfer of goods, as well as refrain from restricting residents' free movement and targeting residents in border areas. It has been agreed that other matters as may be requested shall be addressed.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“The calm has largely held, despite the firing of a few rockets in the hours following the agreement and renewed shooting incidents during a demonstration along the fence inside Gaza, which claimed the life of one Palestinian demonstrator. It is now paramount that the parties respect the calm and allow time for the other elements of the understanding to be worked out. Yet we know that this will not be easy. It is painful that, despite consistent warnings, we had yet another major escalation four years after Operation Cast Lead. The devastating round of violence is a stark reminder of the fact that the status quo is unsustainable. There will be no progress if Israel's legitimate security concerns are not addressed.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“The Secretary-General asked me to stay in Cairo in the days following the announcement of a truce and his own efforts for the purpose of contributing to reaching agreement on the comprehensive elements of the ceasefire. In the so-called understanding for a ceasefire, Israel and Palestinian factions agreed to stop "all hostilities" and, after an initial period of 24-hour calm, begin discussions on some of the long-standing issues to be addressed for a broad, durable ceasefire to take firm hold over the longer term. Security remains central to those discussions. I can report that Egypt and the parties have already commenced intense discussions on how to deal with the issues listed in the understanding. The United Nations, present on the ground, is working closely with Egypt in providing inputs and suggestions to those discussions.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“On Gaza, the Secretary-General briefed the Council last week about his urgent visit to Egypt, Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory and Jordan, and the intense diplomatic effort that culminated in the announcement of a ceasefire agreement welcomed by the Council, which principally calls for a reciprocal cessation ofhostilities. I will therefore focus my remarks first on the next steps, which require difficult work in order to finalize the details left open in the agreement before the ceasefire can take firm hold. 1 will also brief the Council on the proactive role of the United Nations on addressing recovery and humanitarian needs in Gaza, which I visited Sunday.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“Mr. Serry: We meet today against the background of the recent disturbing cycle of violence in Gaza and Israel and a dangerous escalation that concluded with the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement on 21 November. At the same time, this week the Palestinians are expected to follow through with their intention to approach the General Assembly seeking non-member State observer status. Those two significant political developments supersede any other aspect of our regular reporting and merit dedicated focus in my briefing today. Both underscore that the status quo is unsustainable and that it is all the more vital to identify a way ahead to urgently put the peace process back on track. Both take place amid other growing regional concerns, mainly linked to the conflict in Syria, which continues at an alarming rate.”
2012-11-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6871 (2012) · source
“Both parties will suffer the consequences of failure to act responsibly and of sliding further away from the two- State solution and regional peace, as envisaged in the relevant Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“It is now even more important for the parties to further engage in positive steps, show restraint and refrain from provocative acts that risk inflaming an already delicate environment. By the end of this year, yet another timeline set by the Quartet for reaching a comprehensive, negotiated settlement will have lapsed. In circumstances of prolonged political stalemate and an increasingly fragile situation on the ground, the time has come for the international community to seriously reassess its role in resolving the conflict. In that regard, the Secretary General sincerely hopes that Quartet partners, in consultation with the parties, will look beyond prescriptive timelines to chart a new credible political way ahead in the coming months.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“In this challenging context, the Secretary-General has been clear that now is the time for all to work for calm and restraint, and strive to advance dialogue, mutual respect and understanding. In conclusion, in a volatile and rapidly changing region, the vision of the two-State solution and the achievements of the Palestinian Authority are elements of stability and progress that should not be lost, but rather maintained and realized in full without further delay. For one, that means nothing short of the unequivocal support of the international community for the Palestinian Authority and collective intensified efforts to address the fiscal difficulties presently faced and preserve the institutional gains made to date. Israel also has a special responsibility and interest in ensuring the Palestinian Authority's viability.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“The situation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) area of operations remained cautiously calm and stable. UNIFIL maintained an enhanced presence across its area of operations as the LAF operated at lower strength due to the temporary redeployment of some units to cater to security requirements north of the Litani river. While Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace continued on an almost daily basis, there were also minor Lebanese ground violations of the Blue Line. Those developments are taking place in a broader regional context, which, as we have seen, is rife with tensions - tensions that have recently led to disturbing episodes of violence in the region.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“The LAF also confiscated guns, ammunition and heavy weapons. Those successful operations serve to underscore the continued need for international support to the Lebanese Government and the LAF as they face increasing challenges as a result of the situation in Syria. The next national dialogue session is planned for 20 September. International support for the continuation of that process is important, as it represents a key test of the commitment of all Lebanese parties to their country's stability and sovereignty against attempts to cause sectarian strife and draw Lebanon into regional events. Welcomed by leaders of all communities in Lebanon, Pope Benedict XVI further encouraged an atmosphere of calm and tolerance during his visit to Lebanon from 14 to 16 September.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“It is noteworthy in this context that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have performed robustly during this period, while the Government and political leaders have helped to calm the situation through responsible appeals for national unity. On 11 September, the LAF freed the last hostage kidnapped on 15 August, while on 8 September four Syrians and a Turkish national were freed in an operation in southern Beirut in which Government forces made several arrests in connection with the kidnapping. Following the release on 25 August of one of the Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria in May, 10 still remain in captivity Although fragile, calm has also prevailed in Tripoli after the cessation of violence in the city and after the LAF arrested some 18 people on 26 August for their involvement in last month's clashes.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Overall, while the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan has remained relatively stable in spite of continued settlement activity, no progress towards peace between the two countries can be expected while the conflict in Syria remains unresolved. Ajust and comprehensive peace in accordance with relevant resolutions remains, however, a critical objective for regional stability and an essential part of realizing the vision of the Arab Peace Initiative. The situation on Lebanon's northern border remains tense, underscoring the need for continued vigilance internationally about the risk of further impact from the crisis in Syria. Of particular concern is the continued cross-border shelling from Syria into Lebanon, with seven confirmed incidents since 22 August, resulting in the injury of at least eight people.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“They have been able to reach an increasing number of people, but more support from donors is needed to further increase capacities. As regards the situation in the area of separation, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has continued to liaise with Israeli and Syrian military authorities to prevent an escalation of tensions. UNDOF has, since 18 July, protested operations by Syrian security forces in the area of separation, which are in violation of the agreement on disengagement between Israeli and Syrian Forces. Among other measures, the Israel Defense Forces started three weeks ago to reinforce the technical fence, including through an advanced alert system along the Israeli-Syrian disengagement line. New roads have also been paved in several spots.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Military operations have broadened, encompassing all major cities. Indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas by Government forces with heavy weapons, tanks and air assets has increased. Operations from the armed opposition have also intensified. The month of August registered the highest number of casualties thus far, and that toll is growing. More than 2.5 million people, including refugees from Palestine and Iraq, now need assistance and protection inside Syria. As conditions deteriorate, we see dangerous implications for Syria's neighbours. United Nations agencies and their humanitarian partners are working tirelessly to deliver food and basic assistance to those in need in Syria, as well as to refugees across borders.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“We appreciate the ongoing cooperation with the Israeli authorities and we expect approval this week of an additional substantial package of United Nations projects, including housing, schools, shelters and solid waste treatment infrastructure. Turning to the region, the situation in Syria remains of utmost concern to the Secretary-General. Mr. Brahimi is returning from Damascus and will report on his mission, so I will be extremely brief. As we are facing a grim spiral of violence, our objectives remain the same: to stop the bloodshed and human rights violations, to alleviate human suffering, and to seek a political solution through a Syrian-led process of transition and dialogue. Tragically for millions of Syrian civilians, the violence and killing continue to mount as a result of a dangerous militarization of the conflict.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Lifting the closure regime, in accordance with resolution 1860 (2009), and Gaza's recovery and long- term economic growth remain fundamental United Nations objectives. The long-term growth of Gaza's economy will depend on reactivating the productive private sector by allowing it to have easier access to necessary raw materials, capital inputs and its traditional markets, namely, the West Bank and Israel. Lifting restrictions on the entry of aggregate, iron bar and cement would not only enable the growth of the private sector, but also provide an additional source of revenue for the Palestinian Authority through taxation at the point of entry. In the meantime, a steady flow of approvals for works involving dual-use material should be maintained.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“On 2 September the de facto authorities in Gaza reshuffled the ruling Cabinet, but claimed that efforts towards Palestinian reconciliation would not be impacted. A unified Palestinian polity is central to realizing a two-State solution. The Quartet has also been clear in stating that the situation in and around Gaza would remain unsustainable as long as the West Bank and Gaza are not reunited under a legitimate Palestinian Authority that adheres to the Palestine Liberation Organization's commitments. In this context, we welcome recent statements of support, also by the League of Arab States, for Egyptian facilitation efforts to bring the Palestinian factions back to the table.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Israeli forces conducted five incursions and 10 airstrikes into Gaza, resulting in six Palestinian militants killed, while four Palestinian militants and six civilians were also injured. Israeli strikes at tunnels also resulted in one Palestinian killed and one injured. We continue to condemn all indiscriminate rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel, which must stop. We also urge Israel to show maximum restraint. Efforts to promote Palestinian reconciliation continue to face obstacles. At the meeting of the League of Arab States held on 5 September, President Abbas reiterated that general elections were the key to true reconciliation. For its part, Hamas reiterated that no polling should take place prior to reconciliation.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“The implications, if there is no change to the current untenable situation, should be a reason for alarm for all concerned. Alongside efforts to make progress on the peace process, we must all work to ensure that calm is realized, the Palestinian divide ends, and the closure regime is lifted. In that sobering context, several weeks of calm were yet again interrupted on 26 and 31 August, when home-made rockets fired from Gaza hit the Israeli town of Sderot, causing damage to infrastructure. A Grad rocket fired at the Israeli town of Netivot on 9 August caused extensive material damage to a house without injuring residents. In total, 50 projectiles were fired from Gaza into Israel, including six Grad rockets and 17 mortar shells.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“In accordance with the electoral law, the nomination period, which began on 1 September, concluded on 11 September. That constitutes an important benchmark, and we encourage the Palestinian Authority to conduct that poll as scheduled, with all necessary support extended to the Central Elections Commission. The last such elections were only partially held in 2005, and some municipal councils have not been voted into office since the 1970s. In Gaza, the United Nations released a report entitled "Gaza 2020" on 27 August. The report highlighted the ever- greater stress that population growth in Gaza will place on the provision of clean water, electricity, health- care services and education, which are inadequate now and will not keep pace with the needs of a population that is projected to grow to 2.1 million people by 2020.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“On 13 September, the nineteenth anniversary of the Oslo agreement, all pre-Oslo Palestinian prisoners in Israelijails observed a one-day hunger strike protesting their continued imprisonment and in solidarity with other long-term hunger strikers. The Secretary- General remains concerned about the life-threatening condition of three of those hunger strikers, and calls for a swift resolution of their cases. On a positive note, visits of family members from Gaza to Palestinian detainees have continued on a weekly basis since they were resumed on 16 July with the facilitation of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Palestinian Central Elections Commission continued preparations for local elections, which are scheduled to take place in the West Bank on 20 October.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“While there are initial indications that plans for six to eight Palestinian communities may soon be approved, greater progress in addressing the needs of Palestinian communities in Area C is urgently required so as to adequately address the long-standing developmental needs of those communities. Palestinian security forces have continued working to maintain law and order in the West Bank. On 5 September, a senior Palestinian Authority security commander was shot dead in Jenin, where extensive security operations have taken place since the death of its Governor in May. For the Palestinian Authority security forces to continue operating effectively, it is necessary that they receive a delivery of equipment that is currently awaiting approval for import.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Alongside the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other international partners, the United Nations has engaged the Israeli Government on a series of planning and social infrastructure projects in Area C. An additional package of 18 education and health projects for USAID has just been approved. The United Nations remains concerned about the scale of ongoing demolitions, which in the reporting period included 11 residential structures. We note that there is an ongoing dialogue between the concerned vulnerable communities and the Government of Israel.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“The majority of injuries and detentions took place during Palestinian demonstrations, including against the barrier, which deviates from the Green line in contravention of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (A/ES-10/273). Much of the reported violence continues to occur in Area C, an area fundamental to the contiguity of the West Bank and the viability of a future Palestinian State. Palestinian access to and development of Area C is vital to accommodate the natural growth of the Palestinian population. Developing natural resources is also essential for the private sector to drive the economic growth needed for a rapidly growing population.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“We note the Israeli Government's consistent condemnation of such attacks. Israeli police also arrested settler youth in connection with the 16 August Molotov cocktail attack near Hebron. Yet we continue to urge the Israeli authorities to act decisively against acts of violence perpetrated by Israeli citizens. Palestinian violence against Israelis in the West Bank, mostly stone-throwing at vehicles, resulted in injuries to seven Israeli citizens as well as material damage. On 9 September, a Palestinian driver killed an Israeli security guard in a suspected deliberate hit-and- run accident near the barrier and the Oranit settlement. Citing security concerns, the Israel Defense Forces conducted 247 operations in the occupied West Bank, in which 110 Palestinians were injured and 186 arrested.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“On 2 September, the outpost of Migron was evacuated following a High Court ruling and its approximately 50 families moved to another settlement nearby. The United Nations position remains that settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, whether on private land or elsewhere, is contrary to international law and should be brought to a halt. Several vehicles were vandalized, and a monastery in Latrun and a mosque near Hebron were desecrated on 4 and 11 September, respectively, as part of so-called price-tag activities following the evacuation of Migron. Thirty-five incidents involving settler violence resulted in injuries to 15 Palestinians as well as extensive property damage. Palestinians were attacked in Jerusalem on 5 and 7 September, and Israeli police have actively pursued the attackers.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Greater facilitation by the Israeli Government, in particular by easing restrictions to allow for the private sector to develop, would contribute to stimulating economic activity and addressing the Palestinian Authority's fiscal sustainability in the medium term. Developments on the ground also do not support efforts to overcome the political stalemate. Settlement activity continued during the reporting period. On 9 September, the Israeli Government endorsed an Israeli higher-education committee decision to upgrade the status of a college in the settlement of Ariel to that of a university. While it is pending final approval, that decision would lead to a further encroachment into the West Bank. On 11 September, Israeli authorities reportedly issued orders to confiscate some 1,500 dunams ofland near Nablus.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Against that background and as an immediate step to ensure the Palestinian Authority's fiscal viability in the short term, we urgently call on donors, in particular from the region, to increase their contributions and provide the much-needed funds to bridge, in a timely manner, the current gap. The Israeli Government is also called upon to do more to alleviate the Palestinian Authority's burden and provide a much-needed economic impetus in the medium term. On 11 September, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the transfer, in advance, of 225 million new Shekels in tax money it collects for the Palestinians. This is welcome, and we encourage Israel to take further steps in that direction.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Such a mounting fiscal crisis would paralyse the institutions of the Palestinian Authority. In a few days the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Coordination of International Assistance to Palestinians (AHLC), meeting in New York, will offer a sober account of the Palestinian Authority's very grave fiscal situation. Despite Prime Minister Fayyad's commendable efforts, he is confronted with the effects of a decrease in foreign aid, the failure of donor countries to fulfil their financial pledges, and slowing economic activity. As our report to the AHLC will highlight, such a slowdown is dampening hopes of reducing the high unemployment, poverty and vulnerability that still affect thousands of Palestinians.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Although the Palestinian security forces handled the protests with professionalism and restraint, the demonstrations turned violent on 10 September and dozens were injured in clashes. The situation in Gaza also became tense when a teenager died on 2 September after he torched himself to death to protest his family's poor living conditions. The Government of Prime Minister Fayyad announced an emergency economic package on 11 September, including a reduction ofthe VAT to 15 per cent and a return to pre-September prices for diesel and gas. Such measures will provide temporary relief to the average Palestinian, who bears the brunt of this crisis. Absent a predictable and immediate injection of funds, the Palestinian Authority will be unable to meet its recurrent financial requirements, which amount to less than $1 billion.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“The lack of progress on the political track and the ongoing conflict and occupation put at risk the very viability of the two-State solution. There is no more sobering a manifestation of such a risk than the financial and economic crisis currently afflicting the Palestinian Authority. Starting on 4 September, thousands of Palestinian demonstrators in the West Bank took to the streets to protest the increase in value added tax (VAT), recent rises in the price of fuel and most basic commodities, and the deferred payment of August Government salaries. Unions and taxi and truck drivers repeatedly blocked city centres and joined the protesters. One protester, who set himself on fire in Ramallah, remains in serious condition. Attempts by another two protesters, including one with his child, were thwarted.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“More recently, following his meeting with the Foreign Ministers of States members of the League of Arab States in Cairo on 5 September, President Abbas expressed his intention to commence preparations to pursue an upgrade in the status at the United Nations through the General Assembly. Today, amid a fiscal crisis and related social unrest in the West Bank, the stakes are growing. The main obstacles remain political: unresolved issues between the parties, the continued occupation and the ongoing Palestinian division. However, we can no longer simply count on the pursuit of short-term and mutual confidence-building measures aimed at starting talks. Such measures are not alternatives to a negotiated peace.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“Mr. Serry: Before beginning the briefing, let me mark that today is the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah. I wish to congratulate our Israeli colleagues and to wish them a happy new year. Turning now to the briefing, it is nearly one year since the Secretary-General forwarded the Palestinian application for membership of the United Nations to the Council. At the same time, the Quartet set a framework for resumed dialogue, reaffirming that the only sustainable solution to the conflict was a negotiated one. Despite some positive and quiet engagement, the parties have not yet engaged in meaningful dialogue on the core issues.”
2012-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6835 (2012) · source
“The parties must now do their part to overcome admittedly difficult obstacles and take the steps necessary to enable an environment conducive to serious engagement. But I fear that time is running out.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“When I was last before the Council, in May, I warned that we were increasingly moving away from a two-State solution towards a one-State reality that would also diminish the prospects for regional peace in the spirit of the Arab Peace Initiative. The continuous negative trends, as reported today and in previous briefings, just further manifest the reality that consistently undermines our common goal of a negotiated two-State solution that will end the conflict and end the occupation that started in 1967. The international community should understand that, absent a credible political horizon for the establishment of a Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel, its own efforts in pursuit of that goal will increasingly lack credibility.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“As the Lebanese Armed Forces deployed some troops out of the south Litani sector to reinforce its efforts along the north-eastern border, UNIFIL increased operational activities in its area. The Lebanese Armed Forces assured UNIFIL that this is a temporary measure and that troops would be sent back to the south as soon as the situation allowed. Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace, meanwhile, have continued on an almost daily basis. In conclusion, I am addressing the Council today only two months before the General Assembly's general debate, in September, and almost a year since the Council was presented with the Palestinian application for membership in the United Nations.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“That coincided with a speech by Hezbollah leader Nasrallah reiterating support for the Syrian regime. As for the national dialogue, the opposition March 14 coalition decided to boycott its third session, scheduled for yesterday. President Sleiman has announced that the process is postponed until 16 August. It is hoped that the obstacles to continuing the national dialogue will be overcome in order to allow the next session to take place as planned. As stressed by the Council, the commitment of the country's leaders to safeguarding Lebanon from the impact of regional tensions at this difficult time is particularly important. Meanwhile, the situation in the UNIFIL area of operation has remained cautiously calm and stable.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“In addition to the almost 30,000 Syrian refugees registered with the Office ofthe United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the surge in the number of Syrians crossing into Lebanon last week was estimated at some 18,000 over a two-day period, many of whom have travelled back into Syria. UNHCR is updating its contingency plan in the event of a mass or increased influx requiring a comprehensive humanitarian response. Lebanon has also continued to face significant challenges to its security and stability domestically, linked directly or indirectly to the crisis in Syria. Incidents in different parts of the country reflect confessional tensions exacerbated by the conflict in Syria. On 18 July, following the bomb attack in Damascus, fresh clashes erupted between groups from Sunni and Alawite neighbourhoods in Tripoli.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“In that context, Council members welcomed President Sleiman's initiative to reconvene the national dialogue of Lebanon's political leaders and the declarations following the first two meetings last month, stating that they looked forward to the continuation of his process. Since then, a pattern of Syrian army violations of the Lebanese-Syrian border has continued, including intermittent shelling from Syria into Wadi Khaled. In response, the Government has deployed additional troops of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to its northern border and authorized the LAF to fire back. New cross-border incidents have been reported since, including on 21 July in the area of Al-Qa'a, in the north-east of the Beka'a Valley, involving machine-gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire and a brief incursion by Syrian soldiers.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“In addition, UNDOF has reported seeing a total of approximately 100 civilians aboard vehicles and on foot with personal belongings heading east through the Bravo line. UNDOF will continue to liaise with Israeli and Syrian military authorities to prevent an escalation of tension. Nowhere else, perhaps, does the impact of the Syrian crisis loom larger than in Lebanon. As recently as last week, following a briefing by the Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Mr. Derek Plumby, the Council, in a press statement on 18 July, expressed grave concern over repeated incidents of cross-border fire, incursions, abductions and arms trafficking across the Lebanese-Syrian border. The Council reiterated the importance of full respect for Lebanon's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and the authority of the Lebanese State.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“Council members will recall that, on 19 July, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations informally communicated information regarding the entry and operations of armed Syrian security forces, including soldiers, inside the area of separation of the area of operation of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), on 18 and 19 July. Since then, security operations by Syrian armed forces have continued, mostly in Jabbata and Trunje. The numbers of armed forces involved in those operations has varied from 47 up to 396. UNDOF reported heavy gunfire and many explosions in Jabbata, Al-Baath and Trunje. UNDOF has lodged its protest with the Syrian authorities, as the entry of Syrian armed forces and equipment in the area of separation is a violation of the Agreement of Disengagement between the Israeli and Syrian forces.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source