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Israel and Palestine must take steps to ‘restore calm’ in occupied West Bank — Global Issues


The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, briefed on Security Council Amid escalating confrontations between Israeli security forces (ISF) and militants, culminating in a massive ISF raid in Nablus earlier this week, which left five Palestinians dead and 21 injured.

Urging both levels of leadership to “recognize what is at stake and take steps within their power to restore calm”, he said “core political issues” must be addressed, otherwise “deep-seated mistrust and hostility will continue to grow. I clearly see the growing frustration and anger of the Palestinians in the face of the decades-old Israeli occupation.”

Emergency support

He added that the Palestinian Authority (PA), the West Bank’s governing body under the 1994 Oslo Accords, “urgently needs economic support and political space to fully exercise its authority, including security, in areas under its control.”

He told the ambassadors that too many people had died in recent weeks, “overwhelmingly Palestinian”, creating an atmosphere of “increasing hopelessness, anger and tension” that fueled a cycle deadly violence is increasingly difficult to contain.

“Decades of violence and its damage to both Israelis and Palestinians, as well as the prolonged absence of meaningful negotiations and failure to resolve the key issues driving conflict, has created fertile ground for this dynamic.”

Tor Wennesland (on screen), Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process speaking at a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

UN photo / Manuel Elias

Tor Wennesland (on screen), Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process speaking at a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

‘Definite action’ required

He said he spoke to all sides on the West Bank and Gaza, in Israel, and the wider international community, bringing everyone the same clear message:

“The immediate priority is to work to calm the situation and reverse negative trends on the ground. This will require resolute actions on both sides, supported by the international community.”

However, the Palestinian Authority needs support in order to return to the political process.

“Failure to implement strategies to address both the symptoms and root causes of the escalation of violence will only exacerbate an already explosive situation,” he said.

Palestinian dead and wounded

Mr Wennesland said he was very concerned about the intensity of violence in the Occupied West Bank during his three-month reporting period to the Council, and listed the incidents that occurred almost daily.

In total, 32 Palestinians, including 6 children, were killed by Israeli security forces during protests, clashes, search and arrest operations, attacks and alleged assaults against Israelis, and other cases.

He said 311 Palestinians, including one woman and eight children, were injured. According to him, Israeli settlers or other civilians perpetrated 106 attacks against Palestinians, resulting in 63 injuries and/or damage to Palestinian property.

Israeli phone numbers

In total, two Israeli security forces personnel were killed and 25 Israeli civilians, including 5 women and 3 children, and 13 Israeli security forces personnel were wounded by Palestinians, in a series of attacks. shootings and attacks, clashes, stoning and Molotov cocktails, and other incidents.

In total, Palestinians carried out 115 attacks against Israeli civilians, 100 of which were stonings, resulting in injury and/or damage to Israeli property.

The deadliest year

“By far, 2022 is of course the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since OCHA (United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs) began systematically tracking Palestinian deaths in 2005.

He told the ambassadors that Israeli settler violence and provocation had also increased during the reporting period, fueling escalating violence in West Bank towns.

He said during the reporting period, Israeli forces had opened investigations into two separate cases in which soldiers were noted to have violently attacked Palestinians or shot at Palestinian homes.

“I reiterate that the perpetrators of all acts of violence must be held accountable and that security forces must exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when it is absolutely unavoidable, to protect lives.” , said the Special Coordinator.

‘Horrible’ at the death of children

He also highlighted deaths and injuries among the youngest and most vulnerable:

“I am appalled that children continue to be victims of violence. Children should never be the target of violence or harm. “

The demolition of Palestinian-owned structures continues, with 38 cases in Area C and 3 cases in East Jerusalem, displacing 81 Palestinians, including 26 women and 47 children.” “The demolition was carried out due to the lack of building permits issued by Israel, which is almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain. “

‘Active development’

He said there had been “some positive developments” during the reporting period. Including meetings between top Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and on the continued failure of Fatah leadership in the West Bank and Hamas leaders, who control Gaza to unify, the talks The trial took place in Algeria this month.

This resulted in 14 Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, signing the Declaration of Algeria.

“In the statement, the factions agreed, inter aliarecognizes the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and organizes the elections for the presidency of the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian Legislative Council and the Palestinian National Council,” Wennesland said.

However, he said that overall, the humanitarian response across the entire Occupied Palestinian Territory continues to face a “chronic funding gap”.

Maritime breakthrough

Along with the UN Secretary-General and other senior officials, he also welcomed the formal signing of an agreement between Lebanon and Israel on Tuesday to resolve a decades-long maritime border dispute brokered by the United States.

“This is an encouraging development and I hope it promotes increased stability in the region. I stress the importance of Lebanon forming a new government and electing a new president in accordance with the country’s constitutional framework.

Two-state solution, on line 1967

He said the UN “remains actively engaged with all stakeholders and is committed to supporting the Palestinians and Israelis, resolving the conflict by ending the occupation, and realizing a two-state solution on the basis of 1967 guidelines, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. international law and bilateral agreements. “

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