27 sept 2018
Netanyahu Response to Trump’s Advocacy of Two-State Solution: “Palestinians will Never Have a State”
In the midst of a UN speech praising the Israeli government and their heavy-handed tactics against the Palestinian civilian population of the territory the Israeli military has been occupying since 1967, Donald Trump voiced support for the ‘two-state solution’ to the conflict.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stated that, “Palestinians will never have a state” as long as he is in power.
After Trump and Netanyahu met on the sidelines of the United Nations Wednesday, he told reporters that even though Trump said that he favored a two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians, “Everyone defines the term ‘state’ differently.”
However, since 1933, the Montevideo Convention has been the internationally-accepted definition for a state under international law.
Adopted by the Seventh International Conference of American States, the convention stipulated that all states were equal sovereign units consisting of a permanent population, defined territorial boundaries, a government, and an ability to enter into agreements with other states.
Israel, although recognized as a state in 1948, has never defined its borders, and has, through the decades, encroached further and further onto Palestinian land, so that it now controls more than 80% of the land area of what was, until 1948, the land of Palestine.
Trump reportedly said to the reporters, “In one way it’s more difficult, because it’s a real estate deal. But in another way it works better because you have people governing themselves.”
But Netanyahu criticized Trump’s statement, saying that Israel must permanently maintain its military occupation and control over the Palestinian civil population, with no Palestinian state that is both sovereign and self-deterined.
In response, the Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah, said: “The two-state solution means to us that we have a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is the only way to achieve peace.”
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stated that, “Palestinians will never have a state” as long as he is in power.
After Trump and Netanyahu met on the sidelines of the United Nations Wednesday, he told reporters that even though Trump said that he favored a two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians, “Everyone defines the term ‘state’ differently.”
However, since 1933, the Montevideo Convention has been the internationally-accepted definition for a state under international law.
Adopted by the Seventh International Conference of American States, the convention stipulated that all states were equal sovereign units consisting of a permanent population, defined territorial boundaries, a government, and an ability to enter into agreements with other states.
Israel, although recognized as a state in 1948, has never defined its borders, and has, through the decades, encroached further and further onto Palestinian land, so that it now controls more than 80% of the land area of what was, until 1948, the land of Palestine.
Trump reportedly said to the reporters, “In one way it’s more difficult, because it’s a real estate deal. But in another way it works better because you have people governing themselves.”
But Netanyahu criticized Trump’s statement, saying that Israel must permanently maintain its military occupation and control over the Palestinian civil population, with no Palestinian state that is both sovereign and self-deterined.
In response, the Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah, said: “The two-state solution means to us that we have a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is the only way to achieve peace.”
25 sept 2018
Ireland may recognize Palestine as an official state, if talks over a two-state solution with Israel keep failing, the Irish foreign minister said, Saturday.
FM Simon Coveney made the remarks during a joint press conference in Dublin, with visiting Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, who was accompanying President Mahmoud Abbas.
“We have made a choice not to officially recognize the state of Palestine just yet,” the Irish Times quoted Coveney as saying.
“But, if this hopelessness continues, in terms of the dialogue working, we will be forced to review that for obvious reasons, as I think a lot of other countries in Europe will too,” he added.
He said that Ireland has already committed to recognizing a Palestinian state as part of a peace process; however, if negotiations between Palestine and Israel continue to prove fruitless, “we may have to forget the second part of that.”
Al-Maliki was in Dublin, with Abbas, and the duo also met Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar and President Michael D. Higgins during their stopover, on their way to New York, to attend next week’s UN General Assembly.
Abbas is expected to appeal to the international community to salvage the two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or totally abandon it.
Meeting in Ireland
Coveney announced, during the press conference, that the Irish government is considering hosting a meeting in Ireland, between leaders of Arab and European countries and Palestinian representatives, to restart the stalled peace process, the Irish Times reported.
Describing Donald Trump‘s US administration’s decision to pull $200 million in funding from the UNRWA – UN agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East – as “a mistake,” Coveney pledged to increase Irish funding for the agency from €4.5 million ($5.3 million) to €7 million ($8.24 million).
Late last month, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that Washington would “no longer commit funding” to the refugee agency.
The U.S. has long been the UNRWA’s largest contributor, providing it with $350 million annually — roughly a quarter of the agency’s overall budget.
Established in 1949, the UNRWA provides critical aid to Palestinian refugees in the blockaded Gaza Strip, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
Al-Maliki welcomed the suggested meeting by the Irish government, as he said the international community should “take up its own responsibility to seek action when it comes to Palestinian-Israeli peace process.”
Occupation, ‘illegal’ expansion
Coveney was asked if he believes that Israel is moving towards imposing an apartheid-style regime.
“We have an occupation of the Palestinian territories,” he responded.
“And, while that occupation is taking place, we are seeing an expansion of Israeli settlements onto Palestinian lands. In our view, that is illegal.”
Also, speaking about the closing of Palestinian Liberation Organization office in Washington by the U.S. administration, Coveney said: “We need sustained dialogue if we are to make a breakthrough in the Middle East peace process.”
“We believe that shutting down channels of communications is never a good idea,” he added.
~ Anadolu Agency/Days of Palestine
03/04/16 Gino Kenny Raises Palestinian Flag Upon Election Victory
FM Simon Coveney made the remarks during a joint press conference in Dublin, with visiting Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, who was accompanying President Mahmoud Abbas.
“We have made a choice not to officially recognize the state of Palestine just yet,” the Irish Times quoted Coveney as saying.
“But, if this hopelessness continues, in terms of the dialogue working, we will be forced to review that for obvious reasons, as I think a lot of other countries in Europe will too,” he added.
He said that Ireland has already committed to recognizing a Palestinian state as part of a peace process; however, if negotiations between Palestine and Israel continue to prove fruitless, “we may have to forget the second part of that.”
Al-Maliki was in Dublin, with Abbas, and the duo also met Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar and President Michael D. Higgins during their stopover, on their way to New York, to attend next week’s UN General Assembly.
Abbas is expected to appeal to the international community to salvage the two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or totally abandon it.
Meeting in Ireland
Coveney announced, during the press conference, that the Irish government is considering hosting a meeting in Ireland, between leaders of Arab and European countries and Palestinian representatives, to restart the stalled peace process, the Irish Times reported.
Describing Donald Trump‘s US administration’s decision to pull $200 million in funding from the UNRWA – UN agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East – as “a mistake,” Coveney pledged to increase Irish funding for the agency from €4.5 million ($5.3 million) to €7 million ($8.24 million).
Late last month, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that Washington would “no longer commit funding” to the refugee agency.
The U.S. has long been the UNRWA’s largest contributor, providing it with $350 million annually — roughly a quarter of the agency’s overall budget.
Established in 1949, the UNRWA provides critical aid to Palestinian refugees in the blockaded Gaza Strip, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
Al-Maliki welcomed the suggested meeting by the Irish government, as he said the international community should “take up its own responsibility to seek action when it comes to Palestinian-Israeli peace process.”
Occupation, ‘illegal’ expansion
Coveney was asked if he believes that Israel is moving towards imposing an apartheid-style regime.
“We have an occupation of the Palestinian territories,” he responded.
“And, while that occupation is taking place, we are seeing an expansion of Israeli settlements onto Palestinian lands. In our view, that is illegal.”
Also, speaking about the closing of Palestinian Liberation Organization office in Washington by the U.S. administration, Coveney said: “We need sustained dialogue if we are to make a breakthrough in the Middle East peace process.”
“We believe that shutting down channels of communications is never a good idea,” he added.
~ Anadolu Agency/Days of Palestine
03/04/16 Gino Kenny Raises Palestinian Flag Upon Election Victory
10 sept 2018
The Trump administration is expected to announce Monday that it will close the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) office in Washington, administration officials said Sunday night, widening a U.S. campaign of pressure amid stalled Middle East peace efforts.
“The United States will always stand with our friend and ally, Israel,” national security adviser John Bolton planned to say in prepared remarks he is scheduled to deliver Monday, according a draft reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
“The Trump administration will not keep the office open when the Palestinians refuse to take steps to start direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel,” he planned to add.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Bolton also planned to threaten to impose sanctions against the International Criminal Court if it moves ahead with investigations of the U.S. and Israel.
Among the responses, Bolton says, the U.S. would ban ICC judges and prosecutors from entering the country.
The PLO office in Washington has long been the focus of controversy. The Trump administration warned last year that it might close the office after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called for the investigation and prosecution of Israeli officials by the ICC and other bodies.
Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian Authority negotiator responded at the time that such a move would undermine prospects for peace. The PLO opened its mission in Washington in 1994 and joined the ICC after receiving observer state status at the U.N. in 2012.
The closure, which Bolton says would be formally announced by the State Department on Monday, follows other steps by the Trump administration that have angered Palestinians, including moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and ending funding for the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees.
“The United States supports a direct and robust peace process, and we will not allow the ICC, or any other organization, to constrain Israel’s right to self-defense,” Bolton also planned to say, according to the prepared remarks.
A particular concern has been a request last year by the ICC prosecutor to investigate U.S. military and Central Intelligence Agency personnel who served in Afghanistan for detainee abuse and possibly other war crimes.
In the prepared remarks planned for Monday, Bolton offers an extended critique of the court, which he asserts is rife with abuses, and vows that the U.S. will use “any means necessary” to protect American citizens and those of friendly allies from prosecution by the court.
According to the same source, nations that cooperate with ICC investigations of the U.S. and its allies will also risk losing foreign aid. Other responses include economic sanctions against the court itself. The U.S. also will consider asking the U.N. Security Council to constrain the court’s authority.
“The United States will always stand with our friend and ally, Israel,” national security adviser John Bolton planned to say in prepared remarks he is scheduled to deliver Monday, according a draft reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
“The Trump administration will not keep the office open when the Palestinians refuse to take steps to start direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel,” he planned to add.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Bolton also planned to threaten to impose sanctions against the International Criminal Court if it moves ahead with investigations of the U.S. and Israel.
Among the responses, Bolton says, the U.S. would ban ICC judges and prosecutors from entering the country.
The PLO office in Washington has long been the focus of controversy. The Trump administration warned last year that it might close the office after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called for the investigation and prosecution of Israeli officials by the ICC and other bodies.
Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian Authority negotiator responded at the time that such a move would undermine prospects for peace. The PLO opened its mission in Washington in 1994 and joined the ICC after receiving observer state status at the U.N. in 2012.
The closure, which Bolton says would be formally announced by the State Department on Monday, follows other steps by the Trump administration that have angered Palestinians, including moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and ending funding for the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees.
“The United States supports a direct and robust peace process, and we will not allow the ICC, or any other organization, to constrain Israel’s right to self-defense,” Bolton also planned to say, according to the prepared remarks.
A particular concern has been a request last year by the ICC prosecutor to investigate U.S. military and Central Intelligence Agency personnel who served in Afghanistan for detainee abuse and possibly other war crimes.
In the prepared remarks planned for Monday, Bolton offers an extended critique of the court, which he asserts is rife with abuses, and vows that the U.S. will use “any means necessary” to protect American citizens and those of friendly allies from prosecution by the court.
According to the same source, nations that cooperate with ICC investigations of the U.S. and its allies will also risk losing foreign aid. Other responses include economic sanctions against the court itself. The U.S. also will consider asking the U.N. Security Council to constrain the court’s authority.
9 sept 2018
Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas has reportedly frustrated Egyptian and UN efforts to broker a long-term truce agreement between Israel and Hamas.
According to a report Friday in the London-based daily Al-Hayat newspaper, Abbas threatened international and Arab parties that he would sever all ties with Israel if a long-term ceasefire deal bypassing the PA and Abbas’s Fatah party was reached with Hamas.
Abbas’s threat has prompted Egypt, which was making efforts recently along with the UN to cement a deal in Gaza, to redouble its efforts toward internal Palestinian reconciliation and set aside for the time being the Israel-Hamas deal.
According to a report Friday in the London-based daily Al-Hayat newspaper, Abbas threatened international and Arab parties that he would sever all ties with Israel if a long-term ceasefire deal bypassing the PA and Abbas’s Fatah party was reached with Hamas.
Abbas’s threat has prompted Egypt, which was making efforts recently along with the UN to cement a deal in Gaza, to redouble its efforts toward internal Palestinian reconciliation and set aside for the time being the Israel-Hamas deal.
6 sept 2018
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki has reported that President Mahmoud Abbas has instructed the ministry to immediately inaugurate the Palestinian Embassy in the capital of Paraguay, Asunción.
Al-Maliki said that President Abbas issued a statement of gratitude to Paraguay after it rescinded its previous decision of opening its Embassy in occupied Jerusalem, and relocating it back to Tel Aviv.
He added that Abbas instructed the Foreign Ministry to immediately start the process of opening a Palestinian Embassy in Paraguay, adding that he will contact his counterpart in Asunción to take all needed and suitable measures.
It is worth mentioning that, following the Paraguayan decision to move to Embassy from occupied Jerusalem back to Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister ordered the Israeli Embassy in Paraguay shut.
Benjamin Netanyahu said the Paraguayan decision will strain the relations between the two states, and considered the move as a “very serious and exceptional decision.”
On his part, the president of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, described the Israeli decision as misappropriate, and added that his country seeks a comprehensive and lasting just peace between Israel and Palestine.
He said the United States, and its president, needs to understand that all countries that seek peace and justice, will refrain from following the U.S. lead in moving its embassy to occupied Jerusalem.
He said that real peace is only achieved through abiding by International Law and all related United Nations resolutions.
Al-Maliki said that President Abbas issued a statement of gratitude to Paraguay after it rescinded its previous decision of opening its Embassy in occupied Jerusalem, and relocating it back to Tel Aviv.
He added that Abbas instructed the Foreign Ministry to immediately start the process of opening a Palestinian Embassy in Paraguay, adding that he will contact his counterpart in Asunción to take all needed and suitable measures.
It is worth mentioning that, following the Paraguayan decision to move to Embassy from occupied Jerusalem back to Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister ordered the Israeli Embassy in Paraguay shut.
Benjamin Netanyahu said the Paraguayan decision will strain the relations between the two states, and considered the move as a “very serious and exceptional decision.”
On his part, the president of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, described the Israeli decision as misappropriate, and added that his country seeks a comprehensive and lasting just peace between Israel and Palestine.
He said the United States, and its president, needs to understand that all countries that seek peace and justice, will refrain from following the U.S. lead in moving its embassy to occupied Jerusalem.
He said that real peace is only achieved through abiding by International Law and all related United Nations resolutions.
Abdul-Rahim Abbas, 42
A Palestinian policeman was killed, on Wednesday evening, in an accidental explosion at a police station in Gaza city.
The Palestinian Interior Ministry has reported that Lieutenant Abdul-Rahim Abbas, 42, a member of the Explosives Unit, was killed while inspecting explosive materials.
It added that the explosives detonated during the inspection killing the officer, but did not lead to further casualties.
The accidental explosion also led to extensive property damage.
A Palestinian policeman was killed, on Wednesday evening, in an accidental explosion at a police station in Gaza city.
The Palestinian Interior Ministry has reported that Lieutenant Abdul-Rahim Abbas, 42, a member of the Explosives Unit, was killed while inspecting explosive materials.
It added that the explosives detonated during the inspection killing the officer, but did not lead to further casualties.
The accidental explosion also led to extensive property damage.
4 sept 2018
Colombia’s new President, Ivan Duque Márquez, on Monday, told a local radio station that the decision to recognize Palestine, made by Juan Manuel Santos in the last few days, was “irreversible” because “the president of the republic is the person designated by the constitution to manage foreign relations.”
Any government governs until it is replaced by its successor administration; therefore, Santos’s decision cannot be disputed and will stand, he argued.
Duque said, according to WAFA, that he believed the so-called two-state solution is the best way out of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“What we, the international community, should not do is be part of the problem; instead, we must be part of the solution. The solution is to form lasting peace, stability, and [assure] that the two-state solution will move forward,” he said.
Outgoing Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos handed a letter, to Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki, saying that Colombia “decided to recognize Palestine as a free, independent and sovereign state.”
Colombia was the only South American country that had not yet recognized the State of Palestine.
Any government governs until it is replaced by its successor administration; therefore, Santos’s decision cannot be disputed and will stand, he argued.
Duque said, according to WAFA, that he believed the so-called two-state solution is the best way out of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“What we, the international community, should not do is be part of the problem; instead, we must be part of the solution. The solution is to form lasting peace, stability, and [assure] that the two-state solution will move forward,” he said.
Outgoing Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos handed a letter, to Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki, saying that Colombia “decided to recognize Palestine as a free, independent and sovereign state.”
Colombia was the only South American country that had not yet recognized the State of Palestine.
30 aug 2018
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“Ghost Hunting,” a Palestinian film directed by Raed Andoni, was submitted to the Academy Awards to compete in the Best Foreign Language Film category, in hopes that it be nominated for the 91st Academy Awards, which will be held on February 22, 2019.
According to a statement by the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, a committee of people working in the film industry in Palestine chose the documentary film to be Palestine’s official selection for the Oscars. The Facebook page of the film posted a statement celebrating the selection. “Happy to announce that Ghost Hunting is Palestine official selection to best foreign film at OSCAR for this year,” the statement said, according to |
WAFA. “Since 1967 up to date, more that 800000 Palestinians were subjects of prison and physical and psychological harassment inside the Israeli prisons.”
“Ghost Hunting was made by and with Palestinian ex-prisoners, and we are proud that this film is presenting Palestine in OSCAR this year,” the statement continued. “Palestine is a society of ex-prisoners and beside the pain in any jail experience, but Palestinian as survivals are still able to feel proud and transform jails into work of art.”
The film, which was released in 2017 and produced by several production companies such as Films de Zayna, Les, Arte France, Akka Films, Films Productions, Radio Télévision Suisse, among others, is starring Ramzi Maqdisi, Mohammed Khattab and the film director Raed Andoni.
It shows the actors, who were once real prisoners in the Israeli jail, the Russian Compound in West Jerusalem, doing a reproduction of the experiences and circumstances they lived in the prison in an attempt to recover from the trauma.
“Ghost Hunting was made by and with Palestinian ex-prisoners, and we are proud that this film is presenting Palestine in OSCAR this year,” the statement continued. “Palestine is a society of ex-prisoners and beside the pain in any jail experience, but Palestinian as survivals are still able to feel proud and transform jails into work of art.”
The film, which was released in 2017 and produced by several production companies such as Films de Zayna, Les, Arte France, Akka Films, Films Productions, Radio Télévision Suisse, among others, is starring Ramzi Maqdisi, Mohammed Khattab and the film director Raed Andoni.
It shows the actors, who were once real prisoners in the Israeli jail, the Russian Compound in West Jerusalem, doing a reproduction of the experiences and circumstances they lived in the prison in an attempt to recover from the trauma.
29 aug 2018
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri on Wednesday said that the latest statements of the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas about his plan to establish a demilitarized Palestinian state are personal remarks that do not represent the Palestinian people.
"These statements mirror Fatah's culture which is based on normalization and coexistence with the occupation," Abu Zuhri wrote on Twitter.
According to Hebrew media sources, Abbas told a group of Israeli academics visiting Ramallah on Tuesday that he preferred devoting funds for his future state to education and institutions than to an army.
"I support a state along the 1967 borders without an army. I want unarmed police forces with batons not guns," Abbas said. "Instead of warplanes and tanks, I prefer to build schools and hospitals and allocate funds and resources to social institutions."
"These statements mirror Fatah's culture which is based on normalization and coexistence with the occupation," Abu Zuhri wrote on Twitter.
According to Hebrew media sources, Abbas told a group of Israeli academics visiting Ramallah on Tuesday that he preferred devoting funds for his future state to education and institutions than to an army.
"I support a state along the 1967 borders without an army. I want unarmed police forces with batons not guns," Abbas said. "Instead of warplanes and tanks, I prefer to build schools and hospitals and allocate funds and resources to social institutions."
Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday said he believed a future Palestinian state within the 1967 borderline should be with no armed forces.
According to the Hebrew TV channel “Kan,” Abbas told a group of visiting Israeli academics in Ramallah that he preferred devoting funds for his future state to education and institutions than to an army.
“I support a state along the 1967 borders without an army. I want unarmed police forces with batons, not guns,” Abbas said. “Instead of warplanes and tanks, I prefer to build schools and hospitals and allocate funds and resources to social institutions.”
An associate of Abbas confirmed to Kan that Abbas had made the comments, and said that his words were in line with his previously stated positions.
Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni also affirmed that Abbas had voiced support for a demilitarized Palestinian state in previous peace negotiations she held with him between 2013-2014.
According to the Hebrew TV channel “Kan,” Abbas told a group of visiting Israeli academics in Ramallah that he preferred devoting funds for his future state to education and institutions than to an army.
“I support a state along the 1967 borders without an army. I want unarmed police forces with batons, not guns,” Abbas said. “Instead of warplanes and tanks, I prefer to build schools and hospitals and allocate funds and resources to social institutions.”
An associate of Abbas confirmed to Kan that Abbas had made the comments, and said that his words were in line with his previously stated positions.
Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni also affirmed that Abbas had voiced support for a demilitarized Palestinian state in previous peace negotiations she held with him between 2013-2014.
Hamza Tuman 2 months
A two-month-old infant from Gaza City breathed his last on Tuesday evening after the department of treatment abroad at the Ramallah-based health ministry refused to cover his medical expenses.
The child, Hamza Tuman, had been diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called “Wolman,” which is caused by a deficiency of an enzyme known as lysosomal acid lipase.
The health authorities in Gaza were waiting for a response from minister of health Jawwad Awwad after a medical file on the case of the child was submitted to his office, but to no avail.
In the wake of Hamza’s death, his father, Abdullah, stated that his child joined two of his brothers who had the same disease, pointing out that his health condition worsened after not receiving the needed medical care in Israeli hospitals because the department of treatment abroad in Ramallah refused to cover the cost of his treatment.
A two-month-old infant from Gaza City breathed his last on Tuesday evening after the department of treatment abroad at the Ramallah-based health ministry refused to cover his medical expenses.
The child, Hamza Tuman, had been diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called “Wolman,” which is caused by a deficiency of an enzyme known as lysosomal acid lipase.
The health authorities in Gaza were waiting for a response from minister of health Jawwad Awwad after a medical file on the case of the child was submitted to his office, but to no avail.
In the wake of Hamza’s death, his father, Abdullah, stated that his child joined two of his brothers who had the same disease, pointing out that his health condition worsened after not receiving the needed medical care in Israeli hospitals because the department of treatment abroad in Ramallah refused to cover the cost of his treatment.
18 aug 2018
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday presented four options aimed at boosting the protection of Palestinians in Israeli-occupied territories.
The proposed options included sending UN rights monitors and unarmed observers and deploying a military or police force under UN mandate.
The proposals were contained in a 14-page report requested by the General Assembly in response to a surge of violence in Gaza, where 171 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since late March.
In the 14-page report, Guterres proposed:
– Providing a “more robust UN presence on the ground” with rights monitors and political officers to report on the situation.
– Pouring in more UN humanitarian and development aid to “ensure the well-being of the population.”
– Creating a civilian observer mission that would be present in sensitive areas such as checkpoints and near Israeli settlements, with a mandate to report on protection issues.
– Deploying an armed military or police force, under a UN mandate, to provide physical protection to Palestinian civilians.
A UN mandate for a protection force would require a decision from the Security Council, where the United States could use its veto power to block a measure opposed by Israel.
The proposed options included sending UN rights monitors and unarmed observers and deploying a military or police force under UN mandate.
The proposals were contained in a 14-page report requested by the General Assembly in response to a surge of violence in Gaza, where 171 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since late March.
In the 14-page report, Guterres proposed:
– Providing a “more robust UN presence on the ground” with rights monitors and political officers to report on the situation.
– Pouring in more UN humanitarian and development aid to “ensure the well-being of the population.”
– Creating a civilian observer mission that would be present in sensitive areas such as checkpoints and near Israeli settlements, with a mandate to report on protection issues.
– Deploying an armed military or police force, under a UN mandate, to provide physical protection to Palestinian civilians.
A UN mandate for a protection force would require a decision from the Security Council, where the United States could use its veto power to block a measure opposed by Israel.
