{"id":232608,"date":"2020-02-24T15:04:12","date_gmt":"2020-02-24T20:04:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=232608"},"modified":"2020-07-22T00:39:28","modified_gmt":"2020-07-22T04:39:28","slug":"annexation-threat-continuing-exchanges-of-fire-undermine-chances-for-peace-between-israel-palestinians-special-coordinator-warns-security-council-press-release","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/annexation-threat-continuing-exchanges-of-fire-undermine-chances-for-peace-between-israel-palestinians-special-coordinator-warns-security-council-press-release\/","title":{"rendered":"Annexation Threat, Continuing Exchanges of Fire Undermine Chances for Peace between Israel, Palestinians, Special Coordinator Warns Security Council – Press Release"},"content":{"rendered":"

8730TH MEETING (AM)<\/strong>
\nSC\/14119<\/strong>
\n24 FEBRUARY 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Video<\/a><\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n

All Settlements Illegal under International Law,\u00a0He Reiterates, Noting Prime Minister\u2019s Approval of Some 3,000 Units in West Bank<\/h4>\n

The threat to annex Palestinian territory, as well as the exchange of fire between militants and Israeli security forces, are undermining the prospects for peace between the two sides, the senior Â鶹APP official for the Middle East peace process warned today.<\/p>\n

Urging the Security Council to help find a way towards peaceful coexistence between the two sides as neighbours, Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said:\u00a0 \u201cIt is not enough to reaffirm the internationally agreed parameters on how the conflict can be resolved.\u201d \u00a0Briefing Council members by video\u2011teleconference from Jerusalem, he said it is time to \u201cfind our way back to a mutually agreed mediation framework that ensures meaningful negotiations can resume\u201d.<\/p>\n

Detailing recent developments, including the threat of partial annexation, he recalled that Israeli and United States officials have said that such a step would only be taken after a joint committee completes detailed maps of the relevant areas in the occupied West Bank.\u00a0 The United States confirmed the joint committee\u2019s formation on 15\u00a0February, he said, pointing out:\u00a0 \u201cThe Secretary\u2011General has consistently spoken out against unilateral steps and plans for annexation.\u201d\u00a0 Such measures would have a devastating impact on prospects for a two-State solution, he said, adding that they would close the door to negotiations.<\/p>\n

He went on to report that the situation in the Gaza Strip is escalating, with projectiles being fired from the Palestinian enclave towards Israel and that country\u2019s defence forces responding with retaliatory air strikes.\u00a0 Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants fired more than 40\u00a0rockets since 23\u00a0February, and the Israeli Defense Forces are conducting aerial bombardment over the enclave in response, he reported.<\/p>\n

More than 100\u00a0projectiles fired from Gaza towards Israeli communities injured four people, including a woman and a child, he said, adding that more than 100\u00a0incendiary balloons were released towards Israel, many carrying explosive devices.\u00a0 In response, the Israeli forces fired 102\u00a0missiles against Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza.<\/p>\n

Violence also continued in the West Bank, where Israeli security forces killed 7\u00a0Palestinians, he reported, adding that Palestinians injured 16\u00a0Israeli security personnel and 7\u00a0civilians. \u00a0\u201cWith no meaningful bilateral negotiations on the horizon, developments on the ground continued to undermine prospects for a two-State solution,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Israeli authorities continued to demolish Palestinian structures and to advance settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory, he said, noting that they destroyed or seized 28\u00a0Palestinian-owned structures, and 11\u00a0others were demolished by their owners, resulting in the displacement of 47\u00a0people.\u00a0 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on 20\u00a0February that he had approved the construction of some 3,000\u00a0housing units in Giv\u2019at Hamatos and some 1,000\u00a0units in Beit Safafa.\u00a0 He also declared that he could allow the beginning of planning processes for 2,200\u00a0housing units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Har Homa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese projects, if implemented, would consolidate a ring of settlements cutting between East Jerusalem and Bethlehem, significantly constraining the possibility of a future contiguous Palestinian State,\u201d the Special Coordinator pointed out, stressing that all settlements are illegal under international law and remain a substantial obstacle to peace.<\/p>\n

Concerning intra-Palestinian developments, he reported that the prospects for reconciliation and elections remain stalled.\u00a0 With legislative and presidential elections not having been held since\u00a02006, it is critical to renew the legitimacy of Palestinian national institutions, he said, underlining that Palestinians must be allowed to elect their leaders. \u00a0While the Â鶹APP continues to support the Egypt-led reconciliation effort, the Palestinian national movement continues to be weakened by lack of unity, he noted.<\/p>\n

Turning to the situation in the wider region, he reported that a new Government was formed in Lebanon, but popular protests continue across the country. \u00a0On 10\u00a0February, 15\u00a0individuals blocked a patrol of the Â鶹APP Interim Force in Lebanon\u00a0(UNIFIL) in Bar\u2019ashit and sized a portable radio, a global positioning system device and other items, he said, adding that the Force has requested a prompt investigation of that incident.<\/p>\n

As for the Golan, recent developments involving breaches of the ceasefire line and military activities in the area of separation demonstrate the continued volatility of the situation there, he said, reporting that the Â鶹APP Disengagement Observer Force\u00a0(UNDOF) observed missiles fired from the Alpha side towards the Bravo side on 6\u00a0February, as well as anti-aircraft fire launched from positions on the Bravo side. \u00a0UNDOF also observed drones and aircrafts flying from the Alpha side.\u00a0 The Force engaged both parties to prevent an escalation of tensions and reminded them of their obligation to respect the 1974\u00a0Disengagement of Forces agreement, he said.<\/p>\n

The meeting began at 10:02\u00a0a.m. and ended at 10:20 a.m.<\/p>\n

For information media. Not an official record.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

8730TH MEETING (AM) SC\/14119 24 FEBRUARY 2020 Video Fran\u00e7ais All Settlements Illegal under International Law,\u00a0He Reiterates, Noting Prime Minister\u2019s Approval of Some 3,000 Units in West Bank The threat to annex Palestinian territory, as well as the exchange of fire between militants and Israeli security forces, are undermining the prospects for peace between the two […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"template-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[2433,1329,2805,4389],"document-source":[1362,6169,1877],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[6156,2849,1769,2005,1813,1749,1905,1626,2385],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542,6541],"class_list":["post-232608","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-french-text","document-category-press-release","document-category-video","document-category-webcast","document-source-security-council","document-source-united-nations-department-of-global-communications","document-source-united-nations-special-coordinator-for-the-middle-east-peace-process-unsco","document-subject-agenda-item","document-subject-annexation","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-middle-east-situation","document-subject-palestine-question","document-subject-peace-proposals-and-efforts","document-subject-security-council-briefings","document-subject-security-issues","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english","document-language-french"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/232608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/232608\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=232608"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=232608"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=232608"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=232608"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=232608"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=232608"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=232608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}