UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Middle East Envoy has warned that the Israeli-Palestinian issue is once again approaching a “boiling point” while calling for all parties to the conflict to take immediate measures towards achieving the two-State solution.
Briefing the UN Security Council on Monday, Tor Wennesland said that the recent high-level violence in the occupied West Bank and Israel has resulted in grave suffering.
He said that the conflict was again reaching a boiling point after decades of “persistent violence, illegal settlement expansion, inactive negotiations and deepening occupation.”
Urgent need for a two-state solution
Wennesland called on the political leadership to reset a trajectory towards a two-State solution. He warned that a failure to address the current trends as well as the underlying reasons behind the conflict will only worsen the situation and destabilize the region.
While referring to his engagements with Palestinian and Israeli officials and international and regional actors, Wennesland said the United Nations has worked closely to mediate and support the ceasefire. He said the UN was also leading the humanitarian response, providing fuel to Gaza’s power plant and cash assistance to over 100,000 families. In the ensuing debate, Council members raised concern over the increasing violence and condemned attacks against civilians. Speakers reiterated the UN envoy’s call for both sides to avoid unilateral actions and work towards achieving the two-State solution. – APP/AFP
