<\/p>\n
Fran\u00e7ais<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n 25 June 2024<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Recent escalation in the Middle East \u2014 particularly between Israel and Hizbullah along the Blue Line \u2014 is concerning, the head of United Nations peace efforts in the region told the Security Council today, as he also warned that ongoing hostilities in Gaza are further fuelling regional instability.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a deal on the table and it should be agreed, and fast,\u201d urged Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. \u00a0The devastating impact of hostilities on the civilian population in Gaza remains deeply alarming amidst ongoing military operations and a near-total breakdown of civil order in the Strip. \u00a0Underscoring the need for effective humanitarian notification mechanisms and safe conditions for aid operations, he said: \u201cThe UN welcomes the opportunity to clarify with the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] on how the current situation can be clearly improved.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, recent announcements by Israel\u2019s Minister for Finance concerning the continued blocking of all clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority and the coming end of correspondent banking relations threaten to potentially upend \u201cthe entire Palestinian financial system\u201d, he reported. \u00a0Also noting the recent appointment of a civilian deputy to oversee daily life in Area\u00a0C of the occupied West Bank, he stressed that this \u2014 expected to expedite Israeli settlement expansion and regularize illegal outposts under Israeli law \u2014 undermines prospects for a two-State solution.<\/p>\n Detailing additional concerns \u2014 including escalating violence and tensions in the occupied West Bank \u2014 he underscored that Palestinians and Israelis can no longer wait to establish a viable political horizon. \u00a0\u201cEfforts to address security or humanitarian challenges that ignore or sidestep fundamental political questions are doomed to fail,\u201d he observed.<\/p>\n In the discussion that followed, many Council members expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, continuing settlement activity in the West Bank and the potential for further escalation in the region. \u00a0Spotlighting the situation along the Blue Line as an example of that, many also underscored the need to revive a political horizon and implement the ceasefire envisaged by resolution\u00a02735\u00a0(2024).<\/p>\n Among them was Slovenia\u2019s representative, who pointed out that, since Hamas\u2019 7\u00a0October\u00a02023 terrorist attack, Council members have called for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, the distribution of humanitarian aid and full respect for international law at every meeting.\u00a0 \u201cYet again, as we meet here today, we continue hearing the same accounts of the situation in Gaza,\u201d he observed. \u00a0While resolution\u00a02735\u00a0(2024) must be implemented by both sides, \u201ca follow-up to its non-compliance will be needed soon\u201d, he emphasized.<\/p>\n Pointing to recent reports of an injured Palestinian man strapped to the hood of a military vehicle and driven around a neighbourhood in the West Bank, Guyana\u2019s representative underscored:\u00a0 \u201cThis war must end now.\u201d \u00a0A negotiated pause in the fighting \u201cis the best way to secure the release of the hostages\u201d and lead to a permanent settlement of this issue, said that United Kingdom\u2019s representative. \u00a0\u201cThe onus is on Hamas,\u201d she added, to accept the deal detailed in resolution\u00a02735\u00a0(2024) and \u201cend the suffering of the Palestinian people and the remaining hostages\u201d.<\/p>\n However, Hamas ignored voices from the international community and \u2014 rather than accept the deal \u2014 \u201cadded even more conditions\u201d, said the representative of the United States. \u00a0\u201cWe are not giving up\u201d, she stressed, noting her country\u2019s close cooperation with Egypt and Qatar to achieve an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages. \u00a0\u201cPalestinian women, children and men are suffering every single day,\u201d she added, underlining the need to press Israel to create better conditions to facilitate aid delivery in Gaza.<\/p>\n China\u2019s<\/strong> representative<\/strong>, recalling that the United States recently claimed that Israel had already accepted the ceasefire proposal, said:\u00a0\u201cRegrettably, until now, we have not seen tangible signs from Israel of its agreement to a lasting ceasefire.\u201d \u00a0On the contrary, Israel has continued its large-scale military operations and repeatedly attacked refugee camps in the Gaza Strip. \u00a0And in the West Bank, Israeli searches, arrests and raids against Palestinians are daily occurrences, he noted, calling on Israel to effectively curb violence against Palestinian civilians.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are a nation of prisoners,\u201d stressed the Permanent<\/strong> Observer<\/strong> for<\/strong> the<\/strong> State<\/strong> of Palestine<\/strong>, pointing out that four times as many Palestinians have died in Israeli detention in the last eight months than the number of prisoners who died in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in 20\u00a0years. \u00a0An immediate ceasefire is indispensable for all, he stated \u2014 for Palestinians, \u201cfor Israelis held captive and their families\u201d, for the region, for humanity and \u201cfor what remains of our international-law-based order\u201d. \u00a0Adding \u201cblessed be the peacemakers\u201d, he called on those present to \u201cgo further and act faster\u201d to ensure that justice and peace are not forever lost.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will continue until the last remaining hostage is returned and we will not stop until Hamas\u2019 military and governing capabilities are dismantled,\u201d declared Israel\u2019s representative. \u00a0While nearly all UN requests for the coordination of humanitarian convoys have been approved and daily pauses in operations against terrorists continue to enable the distribution of aid, Hamas continues to attack aid convoys, he said, adding that the group is \u201centirely to blame for this conflict\u201d.\u00a0Noting Hizbullah\u2019s increased attacks on Israel from Lebanon, he underscored that his country \u201cwill not allow the terror organization to continue attacking its territory and citizens\u201d.<\/p>\n Calling for immediate de-escalation of the conflict and on the parties to abide by relevant Council resolutions, Mozambique\u2019s<\/strong> representative stressed: \u201cThe reiterated tensions and violence in the Gaza Strip must come to an end.\u201d \u00a0The representative of Ecuador concurred, warning that \u2014 without political will to reach an agreement \u2014 cycles of violence will inevitably repeat. \u00a0For his part, Japan\u2019s representative urged:\u00a0 \u201cEven in this terrible moment, we must keep a political horizon as our goal.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n TOR<\/strong> WENNESLAND<\/strong>,\u00a0Special<\/strong> Coordinator<\/strong> for the<\/strong> Middle<\/strong> East<\/strong> Peace<\/strong> Process<\/strong><\/u>, expressed concern over the risk of escalation in the region \u2014 \u201cparticularly between Israel and Hizbullah along the Blue Line\u201d.\u00a0 Further military escalation will only guarantee more suffering, more devastation to communities in Israel and Lebanon and more potentially catastrophic consequences for the region.\u00a0 Encouraging all sides to take urgent steps to de-escalate the situation, he also observed that ongoing hostilities in Gaza are further fuelling regional instability.\u00a0 \u201cThere must be an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire \u2014 there is a deal on the table and it should be agreed, and fast,\u201d he stressed.\u00a0 Welcoming efforts to reach such a deal \u2014 including by Egypt, Qatar and the United States \u2014 he said that the United Nations \u201cstands ready to support its implementation\u201d.\u00a0Turning to Gaza, he reported that the devastating impact of hostilities on the civilian population \u2014 and the unprecedented humanitarian crisis \u2014 \u201cremain deeply alarming\u201d.<\/p>\n Ongoing military operations and \u201ca near total breakdown of civil order\u201d have resulted in multiple reported incidents of theft of relief supplies and shootings that posed significant risks to the population and humanitarian workers, he said.\u00a0 For example, a shooting incident on 15 June prompted the cancellation of convoys through Kerem Shalom between 16 and 18 June to mitigate risks.\u00a0 Underscoring the need for effective mechanisms for humanitarian notification, safe conditions for aid operations and sufficient access to humanitarian needs, he said: \u201cThe UN welcomes the opportunity to clarify with the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] on how the current situation can be clearly improved.\u201d\u00a0 Hunger and food insecurity persist and \u2014 while projections of imminent famine in the north have been averted through increased food deliveries \u2014 food insecurity has worsened in the south.\u00a0 Nearly all of Gaza\u2019s population continues to face high levels of food insecurity, he emphasized, adding that nearly 500,000 face \u201ccatastrophic\u201d insecurity.<\/p>\n He went on to report that, meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority\u2019s fiscal situation remains \u201cvery precarious\u201d amidst broader economic and security concerns across the occupied West Bank.\u00a0 Announcements by Israel\u2019s Minister for Finance of his intention to continue blocking the transfer of all clearance revenues to the Authority \u2014 and to take measures that would end correspondent banking relations between Israeli and Palestinian banks at the end of June \u2014 \u201cthreaten to plunge the Palestinian fiscal situation into an even greater crisis, potentially upending the entire Palestinian financial system\u201d, he stressed.\u00a0 Also noting the recent appointment of a civilian deputy for oversight of land management and daily life in Area\u00a0C of the occupied West Bank, he underscored that this \u2014 expected to expedite Israeli settlement expansion and regularize illegal outposts under Israeli law \u2014 is concerning and undermines the prospects for a two-State solution.<\/p>\n Reiterating concern over ongoing hostilities\u2019 impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, he said that the level of essential goods that has been allowed into the Strip \u201ccontinues to fall far short of meeting the needs of the population\u201d.\u00a0 While it is positive that Israel has opened additional entry points for aid, others have closed.\u00a0 Detailing additional concerns \u2014 including escalating violence and tensions in the occupied West Bank \u2014 he underscored that Palestinians and Israelis can no longer wait to establish a viable political horizon.\u00a0 \u201cEfforts to address security or humanitarian challenges that ignore or sidestep fundamental political questions are doomed to fail,\u201d he observed.<\/p>\n Read the full text of the briefing here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The representative of the\u00a0United States<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>said that \u2014 while the world\u2019s eyes are rightfully on Gaza \u2014 \u201cwe cannot ignore the situation in the West Bank\u201d.\u00a0 Voicing concern over the significant uptick in deadly violence against Palestinian civilians by settlers, she said that 2023\u00a0saw the highest number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank since\u00a02005.\u00a0 Washington, D.C. \u2014 determined to use all tools at its disposal to expose and promote accountability for those who threaten peace, security and stability in the West Bank \u2014 has sanctioned numerous extremist settlers and their organizations who committed violence there.\u00a0 With regard to Gaza, she pointed to the adoption of resolution\u00a02735\u00a0(2024), adding that Hamas ignored voices from the international community and, rather than accept the deal, \u201cadded even more conditions\u201d.\u00a0 However, \u201cwe are not giving up\u201d, she said, noting her country\u2019s close cooperation with Egypt and Qatar to achieve an immediate ceasefire with the release of hostages.\u00a0 With much of Gaza\u2019s population facing catastrophic levels of hunger, the situation is at risk of worsening rapidly, especially with sustained disruption in aid flows.\u00a0 \u201cPalestinian women, children and men are suffering every single day,\u201d she stated, noting the need to press Israel to create better conditions to facilitate aid delivery in Gaza.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Mozambique<\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>hailed \u201cmilestone\u201d Council resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016), while lamenting that unfortunately, reports from the ground indicate that the current situation in the Middle East contradicts all its precepts.\u00a0 He further voiced concern that \u2014 in addition to the catastrophic situation in Gaza \u2014 illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory remain. \u00a0The continued demolitions of local structures leave many people unprotected, with implications that undermine the efforts for peace in the region and the implementation of the two-State solution. \u00a0\u201cThe reiterated tensions and violence in the Gaza Strip must come to an end,\u201d he stressed, warning that the protracted conflict threatens to expand to other countries in the region, which could worsen the humanitarian crisis among refugees and displaced people. \u00a0He called for the immediate de-escalation of the conflict and for the parties to exercise maximum restraint, abiding by Council resolutions including resolutions\u00a02712\u00a0(2023), 2720\u00a0(2023) and 2728\u00a0(2024).<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Malta<\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>stressed that Israel, as the occupying Power, must exercise maximum restraint, abide by its obligations under international law and protect the Palestinian population against all acts or threats of violence. \u00a0Israeli illegal settlement expansion, demolition of Palestinian property and forced evictions must cease, she added. \u00a0The provision of humanitarian aid cannot be dependent on a ceasefire agreement or \u201ctactical pauses\u201d, she pointed out, stressing that parties must ensure the unimpeded, safe delivery of humanitarian aid at scale into and across Gaza. \u00a0\u201cDe-escalation and the revival of a political horizon must remain a core priority,\u201d she said. \u00a0Key to this are efforts focusing on fiscally and politically reinforcing the Palestinian Authority for effective governance over both the West Bank and Gaza, and its inclusion in discussions of a recovery plan for Gaza.\u00a0\u00a0Recent Israeli actions which threaten to undermine the Palestinian Authority\u2019s fiscal stability also undermine regional and international support to ensure the Palestinian Authority\u2019s stability and credibility and must be reversed, she added.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Slovenia<\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>pointed out that, since Hamas\u2019 7\u00a0October\u00a02023 terrorist attack, Council members called for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, the distribution of humanitarian aid and full respect for international law at every meeting.\u00a0 \u201cYet again, as we meet here today, we continue hearing the same accounts of the situation in Gaza,\u201d he observed, adding:\u00a0\u201cIt seems that both Hamas and Israel continue to use civilians \u2014 Gazans and hostages \u2014 as instruments to pressure the other side.\u201d\u00a0 Further, recent attacks on humanitarian facilities \u201cprove yet again that this Council\u2019s arguments, concerns, demands and decisions remain ignored\u201d, he said.\u00a0Noting promises of improved deconfliction mechanisms, safe zones and investigations into incidents leading to massive casualties among civilians and humanitarian workers, he emphasized:\u00a0 \u201cWe have seen little to nothing on all these promises.\u201d\u00a0 While the Council\u2019s last resolution must be implemented by both sides, \u201ca follow-up to its non-compliance will be needed soon\u201d, he added.<\/p>\n The representative of the\u00a0Russian<\/strong> Federation<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>said that \u2014 amid ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza \u2014 over 37,500\u00a0Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children.\u00a0 The statistics on the West Bank are also appalling, with 600\u00a0Palestinians killed, while new Israeli settlements continue to be erected and residents are being evicted from their homes.\u00a0 Moreover, it is \u201chorrifically cynical\u201d that Palestinians are being forced to demolish their homes not to pay costly levies to the Israeli construction workers.\u00a0 The magnitude of violence by the radical Israeli settlers and complete impunity are shocking: \u00a0in response to the killing of a 14-year-old Israeli boy from Malachi Hashalom \u2014 and despite the fact the alleged criminal was swiftly detained \u2014 \u201cangry mobs of settlers\u201d burned down 37\u00a0villages, killed 4\u00a0and wounded 91\u00a0Palestinians. \u00a0He added that this lawlessness was perpetrated in full sight of law enforcement.\u00a0 There is only one solution to this vicious cycle of violence \u2014 \u201cto root out the culture of impunity and the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory\u201d.\u00a0 Warning that Israel \u201cis going forth full steam ahead\u201d with its offensive on Rafah, he demanded that it halt the operation.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Guyana<\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>voiced concern that settlement activity continues unabated in the occupied West Bank in violation of resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016), calling on Israel to immediately cease all such activities. \u00a0Citing recent reports of a Palestinian man who was strapped to the hood of a military vehicle and, in his injured state, driven around a neighbourhood in the West Bank, she asked: \u00a0\u201cWhat accounts for this level of barbarity by one people against another?\u201d \u00a0Condemning the cultivation and perpetuation of an ideology that dehumanizes the other, she stressed: \u00a0\u201cThis war must end now.\u201d\u00a0 Turning to the provision in resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016) for all States to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since\u00a01967, she emphasized that \u201cgreater due diligence must be exercised by all Member States to ensure full adherence to this provision in all their commercial dealings with Israel\u201d.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Switzerland<\/u><\/strong>, stressing that Israeli settlements are illegal under international humanitarian law, said recurrent announcements by Israeli leaders and measures to expand them contribute to the escalation and must be stopped. \u00a0Voicing concern about recent Israeli decisions to transfer the management of settlers\u2019 civil affairs in the West Bank to the Israeli civil administration, he said Israel must refrain from taking measures that would introduce permanent changes, in particular demographic and administrative changes, in the occupied territory.\u00a0 Council resolution\u00a02735\u00a0(2024) calls on the parties to implement, without delay or conditions, a three-phase plan leading to a durable ceasefire in Gaza, he recalled, emphasizing that this plan currently represents the best chance of ending the appalling conflict.\u00a0 Voicing opposition to the current offensive in Rafah, he called for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate the safe, rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0France<\/u><\/strong>, demanding an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages, also expressed opposition to the operation under way in Rafah \u2014 which, in line with the ruling by the International Court of Justice, Israel must halt.\u00a0 \u201cAs the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, Israeli settlement activity is accelerating in the West Bank,\u201d he noted.\u00a0 Condemning such activity, he underscored:\u00a0 \u201cWe will never recognize the illegal annexation of territory, nor the legal recognition of illegal settlements.\u201d\u00a0 He also condemned settler violence, stating that France will impose new sanctions against perpetrators.\u00a0 Further, France and the European Union do not recognize Israeli sovereignty over areas that came under Israeli administration after 5\u00a0June\u00a01967.\u00a0 Expressing support for a reformed Palestinian Authority capable of exercising its authority throughout all Palestinian territory \u2014 including the Gaza Strip \u2014 he called on Israel to cease obstructing the transfer of revenues to the Authority.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0China<\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>recalled that, after announcing a three-phase ceasefire on 31\u00a0May, the United States claimed that Israel had already accepted the ceasefire proposal.\u00a0 \u201cRegrettably, until now, we have not seen tangible signs from Israel of its agreement to a lasting ceasefire,\u201d he stated.\u00a0 On the contrary, Israel has continued its large-scale military operations and repeated attacks on refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, resulting in major causalities and putting the personnel of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East\u00a0(UNRWA) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in danger.\u00a0 \u201cThere must be an immediate ceasefire, and once it is achieved, there must be no restart of the war,\u201d he stated.\u00a0 In the West Bank, searches, arrests and raids by Israeli enforcement agencies against Palestinians are daily occurrences, he said, calling on the country to effectively curb violence against Palestinian civilians.\u00a0 On the situation in the Red Sea and along the Israel-Lebanon border, he voiced concern over reported Israeli plans of a military offensive against Lebanon.\u00a0 \u201cThe situation in the Middle East is very precarious and the world cannot afford for Lebanon to become another Gaza,\u201d he asserted, echoing the words of the Secretary-General.<\/p>\n The representative of the\u00a0United Kingdom<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages, including the return of those who have died in captivity. \u00a0\u201cThe best way to get the hostages out is to get a deal done,\u201d she stated, also urging Israel to let humanitarian aid enter Gaza through all crossing points and guarantee deconfliction for aid convoys and other humanitarian work. \u00a0Condemning the firing of indiscriminate rockets towards Israeli population centres, she further called on Israel to immediately stop all settlement activities \u2014 noting the United Kingdom has levied sanctions on individuals and groups responsible for human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.\u00a0 A negotiated pause in the fighting \u201cis the best way to secure the release of the hostages\u201d and lead to a permanent settlement of this issue, she said. \u00a0Citing resolution\u00a02735\u00a0(2024), she stressed:\u00a0 \u201cThe onus is on Hamas to accept it and end the suffering of the Palestinian people and the remaining hostages.\u201d<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Ecuador<\/u><\/strong>, voicing concern about the ceaseless violence in Gaza, said negotiations must continue between the parties in pursuit of the Council resolution adopted\u00a015\u00a0days<\/a>\u00a0ago supporting a ceasefire.\u00a0 Further, all Council resolutions must be implemented, and norms of international humanitarian law respected. \u00a0Urging compliance with Council resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016), he voiced concern about the increase in violence since 7\u00a0October\u00a02023 and the continued settlement activities in the West Bank.\u00a0 All actors must show restraint, avoid exacerbating tensions and demonstrate political will to reach agreements, he stressed, warning that without such political will, the cycle of violence will inevitably repeat itself. \u00a0Opportunities must be seized to initiate the path towards a peaceful, negotiated, definitive and just solution for the parties, with the existence of two States: \u00a0Palestine and Israel, on the basis of the 1967\u00a0borders and the relevant resolutions, he said.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Japan<\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>said that the Council\u2019s adoption of resolution\u00a02735\u00a0(2024) on 10\u00a0June offered \u201ca glimmer of hope\u201d that the three-stage proposal would lead to the release of hostages, increased humanitarian aid and a long-awaited ceasefire.\u00a0 \u201cHowever, the tragedy is still unfolding,\u201d he observed, urging Hamas to work in good faith, based on that resolution, \u201cwithout further delay\u201d.\u00a0He also reiterated support for diplomatic efforts by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.\u00a0 Underlining the need for a ceasefire \u2014 not only for Gaza, but to halt destabilization in the region and beyond \u2014 he noted that exchanges of fire are rapidly increasing across the Blue Line.\u00a0 Further military escalation between Israel and Hizbullah would be disastrous for people in Lebanon, Israel and the region, and all parties must ensure a cessation of hostilities along the Blue Line pursuant to resolution\u00a01701\u00a0(2006).\u00a0 \u201cEven in this terrible moment, we must keep a political horizon as our goal,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Sierra<\/strong> Leone<\/strong><\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>voiced deep concern about the significant rise in the scale and depth of humanitarian needs in Gaza, which are being exacerbated by severe access restrictions, including the closure of critical crossings, and denials and delays in processing humanitarian relief access. \u00a0The destruction of essential infrastructure and the presence of debris and unexploded ordnance in the armed conflict further limits the capacity of humanitarian organizations to deliver vital assistance at scale to the suffering population.\u00a0 Turning to the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, he observed that the recent developments between settlers and Palestinians indicate the potential for possible escalation and increased causalities.\u00a0He underscored that any attempt to expand settlement activities in the occupied West Bank constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution.<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Algeria<\/u><\/strong>, condemning the humanitarian situation in Gaza, said the Israeli occupying Power \u201cmust be held accountable for this devastation\u201d.\u00a0 He recalled that the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel concluded that \u201cIsraeli authorities were responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity [\u2026] using starvation as a method of war, forcible transfer and cruel or inhuman treatment,\u201d adding:\u00a0 \u201cThe objective of this barbarity is clear: \u00a0a second Nakba.\u201d\u00a0 He demanded accountability for perpetrators of \u201csettler terror\u201d often perpetrated under the protection of the occupying forces.\u00a0 Condemning provocative assaults on holy sites, he reaffirmed that the entire area of the Aqsa Mosque Compound is an exclusive Muslim place of worship.\u00a0 \u201cThose who believe they can uproot the Palestinians from their land by force are mistaken,\u201d he stated. \u00a0The occupying Power\u2019s plans will ultimately fail because \u201cthe Palestinians have learned from the Nakba of their ancestors.\u201d<\/p>\n The representative of the\u00a0Republic of Korea<\/u><\/strong>, President of the Security Council, speaking in his national capacity, voiced concern about the Israeli Government\u2019s ongoing settlement activities, urging it to cease such activities and respect relevant international law and UN resolutions.\u00a0 He voiced regret that despite the Council\u2019s adoption of resolution 2735 (2024) earlier in June, there has been no news on the finalization of the deal, and the conflict in Gaza shows no signs of abatement.\u00a0 He urged all parties, notably Hamas, \u201cto say \u2018yes\u2019 to the deal\u201d for the release of hostages and an immediate ceasefire, and to implement Council resolutions.\u00a0 He called on Israel to respect the rights of Palestinians and to take measures to prevent and punish settler violence. \u00a0In accordance with Council resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016), which called for a halt to all provocative actions and incitement, he urged both parties to cease all inflammatory rhetoric, including Israeli high-level officials\u2019 remarks promoting settlement expansion and population transfer. \u00a0He also appealed for a cessation of Israel\u2019s withholding of tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0said that the Secretary-General\u2019s latest report tells \u201ca story you know only too well, but to which you should never grow accustomed\u201d.\u00a0 It tells of dispossession and displacement, of colonial settlement and annexation, of the mass killing and maiming of civilians and of attacks on the UN and its personnel.\u00a0 \u201cIt is the story of Israel\u2019s continued attempt to destroy Palestine and its people, and the world\u2019s failure to put an end to it,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cLet me say this in the clearest way I can \u2014 no arms to kill us, no money to colonize us, no trade to rob us,\u201d he stressed, calling on every State to ensure that its Government, entities, companies and citizens no longer contribute to Israeli crimes against Palestinians.\u00a0 Israel openly declares that it will further settle the West Bank, continue assaulting the sanctity of holy sites and withhold Palestinian tax revenue.\u00a0 \u201cThat is the arrogance of fundamentalists, of colonizers,\u201d he observed.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are a nation of prisoners,\u201d he went on to say, pointing out that four times more Palestinians have died in Israeli detention in the last eight months than the number of prisoners who died in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in 20\u00a0years.\u00a0 \u201cAn essential part of the freedom of our people is the freedom of our prisoners,\u201d he underscored.\u00a0 Recalling the three-phased ceasefire proposal envisioned in resolution\u00a02735\u00a0(2024), he noted that the second phase foresees a permanent end to hostilities and full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.\u00a0 \u201cThe proposal is not subject to a destructive pick and choose that voids the proposal of its meaning,\u201d he stressed.\u00a0 An immediate ceasefire is indispensable for all, he stated \u2014 for Palestinians, \u201cfor Israelis held captive and their families\u201d, for the region, for humanity and \u201cfor what remains of our international-law-based order\u201d.\u00a0 Calling on those present to \u201cgo further and act faster\u201d to ensure that justice and peace are not forever lost, he said:\u00a0\u201cBlessed be the peacemakers.\u201d<\/p>\n The representative of\u00a0Israel<\/u>\u00a0said that, since the 7\u00a0October\u00a02023 massacre, 120\u00a0Israeli hostages \u2014 including 16\u00a0women \u2014 are still being held captive in harsh conditions, exposed to mental, physical and sexual abuse.\u00a0 \u201cWhy is this Council not focused on the dire humanitarian situation of the hostages?\u201d, he asked, pointing to Hamas\u2019 refusal to release the hostages through diplomacy.\u00a0The recent rescue operation by the Israel Defense Forces, which brought four hostages home, was an example of how this can be achieved.\u00a0 \u201cWe will continue until the last remaining hostage is returned and we will not stop until Hamas\u2019 military and governing capabilities are dismantled,\u201d he declared. \u00a0Turning to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, he said that 682,000\u00a0tons of humanitarian aid \u2014 including food, water and medical supplies \u2014 were delivered to the Strip.\u00a0The problem remains the distribution of aid by the UN, as nearly all its requests for the coordination of humanitarian convoys have been approved, and the daily pauses in operations against terrorists continue to enable the distribution of aid.<\/p>\n Yet, Hamas continues to attack aid convoys, stealing food and supplies for terrorist combatants while disrupting the delivery of aid, he continued.\u00a0 On 14\u00a0June, Hamas fired five projectiles towards Israel from a humanitarian aid area in central Gaza, he said, adding that the group is \u201centirely to blame for this conflict as it launched an unprovoked brutal invasion into Israel \u2014 a sovereign country \u2014 murdered innocent civilians and took hundreds of hostages\u201d.\u00a0Additionally, \u201cmore and more weapons of the Hamas terrorists are being discovered inside UN facilities, universities, civilian homes, mosques and other civilian sites,\u201d he observed, urging the Council to exert relentless pressure on the terrorists.\u00a0 He further cautioned that, over the past months, Hizbullah in Lebanon has increased its attacks on Israel, firing thousands of rockets and sending suicide drones, and underscored that his country \u201cwill not allow the terror organization to continue attacking its territory and citizens\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fran\u00e7ais 25 June 2024 Recent escalation in the Middle East \u2014 particularly between Israel and Hizbullah along the Blue Line \u2014 is concerning, the head of United Nations peace efforts in the region told the Security Council today, as he also warned that ongoing hostilities in Gaza are further fuelling regional instability. \u201cThere 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SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, INCLUDING THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n
Briefing<\/u><\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/h3>\n
Statements<\/u><\/strong><\/h3>\n