The financial situation of the Palestinian Authority (PA) continues to deteriorate, threatening its stability and putting service delivery at risk.
Meanwhile, ongoing violence affecting both Palestinians and Israelis, as well as settlement, demolition and displacement, further diminishes the prospect of a negotiated settlement between the parties.
Stop acting unilaterally
Mr. Wennesland warned against “partial and half-measures approaches” that would only perpetuate the underlying issues that fuel conflict.
“Unilateral steps and conflicting drivers must stop. Political and economic reforms must be implemented to ensure the PA’s continued ability to function effectively, while fostering the trust and support of donors.” he speak.
“Above all, efforts by parties and the international community to stabilize and improve conditions on the ground need to be linked to a political framework.”
Mr. Wennesland, officially the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, welcomed the recent high-level engagement between Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Expand the interaction
Following a meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz in late December, Israel announced a number of measures including updating the registrations of some 9,500 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel will also provide 100 million Shekels, or about $32 million, as an advance on tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA. Additional entry permits for Palestinian officials and businessmen will also be issued.
“I urge both sides to continue and expand this engagement to include fundamental political issues,” he said. Mr. Wennesland said.
Turning to Gaza, he said this month, Israel has issued about 10,000 permits to merchants and traders there, out of about 12,000 approved documents, the highest number in years.
While welcoming the steps to increase the movement of goods and people in and out of the Gaza Strip, he encouraged the parties to engage with the UN to further enhance access and trade.
united Palestine
Returning to his central point, Mr. Wennesland stressed the need for a coordinated approach to address the political, economic and institutional obstacles that stand in the way of a successful peace process. meaningful.
Along with important reforms and actions by all sides to defuse tensions, he stressed that “We must focus on providing a political backdrop that will ensure that the active participation we have witnessed in recent months is not wasted.”
Efforts must also continue to encourage all Palestinian factions towards political consensus and bring Gaza and the occupied West Bank under a legitimate, democratic Palestinian government, he added.
“Short-term challenges and urgent crises must be addressed,” he said. “At the same time, however, we must ensure that solutions come before our ultimate goal: ending the occupation and achieving a two-state solution on the basis of United Nations resolutions, international law and previous agreements”.
