8532ND MEETING (AM)
\nSC\/13820
\n22 MAY 2019<\/p>\n
video<\/a><\/p>\n Fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n Israel, United States Question Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s Neutrality, Value, as Many Delegates Stress Its Critical Role in Providing Vital Services<\/strong><\/p>\n With the recent flare-up of violence in Gaza as the central topic of discussion in the Security Council today, members also considered the funding shortage affecting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA).<\/p>\n The Council heard briefings from the Special Coordinator of the Middle East Peace Process and the Commissioner-General of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA, with the former describing the violence as the most intense fighting since 2014 between Israeli forces and militants belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad.<\/p>\n Recalling that thousands of Palestinians participated recently in the weekly demonstrations at the Gaza perimeter fence, the Special Coordinator said that over the following 48 hours, 650 rockets fired from Gaza killed four Israeli civilians.\u00a0 The Israeli Defense Forces hit more than 300 militant targets in Gaza, reportedly killing 25 Palestinians.\u00a0 Following intense efforts by the United Nations and Egypt, a cessation of hostilities was established on 6\u00a0May, ending the escalation, he said, urging all sides to reduce tensions and solidify the fragile calm.<\/p>\n He said that although Gaza continues to command significant attention, the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is of growing concern.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s construction of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is illegal under international law and remains a substantial obstacle to peace, he emphasized.\u00a0 For instance, the Israeli authorities demolished or seized 40 Palestinian structures during the reporting period, displacing 31 people, he noted.<\/p>\n Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s Commissioner-General said that support for the Agency to overcome a \u201ctruly existential crisis\u201d has never been as remarkable as it was in 2018, recalling that some 42 countries and institutions increased their contributions to erase an unprecedented deficit of $446\u00a0million.\u00a0 \u201cThese actions were vital to keeping open the 715 schools that Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA runs for over half a million female and male students in the West Bank \u2014 including East Jerusalem \u2014 Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria,\u201d he added.\u00a0 Support from donors also preserved primary health-care services for millions of patients through Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s network of 140 clinics.<\/p>\n He went on to report that thousands of young people have been wounded and hundreds killed since March\u00a02018, including 14 boys and girls aged 11 to 16\u00a0years who were students in Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA schools.\u00a0 \u201cI reiterate here my call for respect for international humanitarian law and my condemnation of the targeting of civilians,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThis includes rocket firing from Gaza that has led to civilian loss of life and injuries in Israel.\u201d\u00a0 Turning to the West Bank, he said Palestine refugees there are confronted with multiple consequences of the ongoing occupation, such as the demolition of homes and evictions.<\/p>\n Council members expressed grave concern about the current situation, with France\u2019s representative denouncing rocket launches from Gaza into Israel as well as the latter\u2019s illegal settlement activity.\u00a0 He warned that the situation is almost at the point of no return, emphasizing the importance of preserving the two-State formula.<\/p>\n Indonesia\u2019 Foreign Minister and Council President for May, spoke in her national capacity, saying the world has seen enough evidence of how protracted conflicts in the Middle East have serious repercussions on peace and stability in many other parts of the world.\u00a0 The Security Council must make real progress, particularly on the Palestinian question, she stressed.<\/p>\n Concerning Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA, the representative of the United States said that his country\u2019s Government stopped funding the Agency because its \u201cflawed\u201d business model has failed the Palestinian people.\u00a0 \u201cWe did not come to this conclusion lightly,\u201d he said, pointing out that the United States has donated $6\u00a0billion to the Agency\u2019s operations since its founding.\u00a0 However, Palestinians were misled year after year and used as political pawns, he added, describing Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s work as a \u201cBand-Aid\u201d.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s representative said Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA has been political since its inception, noting that no other refugee population enjoys the services of such an agency.\u00a0 Every other refugee in the world falls under the jurisdiction of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵHCR), he said, adding that the vast majority of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA beneficiaries do not meet the criteria required of other refugees around the world.\u00a0 Meanwhile, 2.1\u00a0million Palestinians in Gaza who have never crossed an international border \u2014 which is required to be considered a refugee \u2014 are deemed refugees, he noted.\u00a0 \u201cWhy is a Palestinian born in Ramallah and who has lived there his entire life considered a refugee?\u201d<\/p>\n The Deputy Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine rejected attempts to characterize Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA as part of the problem, saying the Agency has done extraordinary work to alleviate the plight of millions of Palestine refugees while contributing to regional stability.\u00a0 On the Palestinian question, she said the international consensus on a two-State solution based on the pre-1967 borders remains strong, adding that Israel\u2019s actions stand in sharp contrast to the global consensus.\u00a0 Regrettably, that country\u2019s contempt and intransigence have only been emboldened further by recent decisions by the United States disregarding, contradicting and completely undermining the pillars of that consensus, she said.<\/p>\n Poland\u2019s representative was among many delegates who echoed that view, emphasizing that Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA has worked for nearly 70 years to ensure access to quality education \u2014 a human right fundamental to helping each child achieve his or her full potential.<\/p>\n Also speaking today were representatives of Kuwait, Germany, United Kingdom, Russian Federation, Dominican Republic, South Africa, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, Peru, Belgium, Equatorial Guinea and China.<\/p>\n The meeting began at 10:07 a.m. and ended at 12:45 p.m.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Briefings<\/u><\/p>\n NICKOLAY MLADENOV, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, speaking via videoconference from Jerusalem, reported that the most intense fighting since 2014 between Israeli forces and militants belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad took place in Gaza just a few weeks ago.\u00a0 Recalling that thousands of Palestinians participated in the weekly demonstrations at the Gaza perimeter fence, he said that over the next 48 hours, 650 rockets fired from Gaza killed four Israeli civilians.\u00a0 The Israeli Defense Forces hit more than 300 militant targets in Gaza, reportedly killing 25 Palestinians.\u00a0 Following intense efforts by the United Nations and Egypt, a cessation of hostilities was established on 6\u00a0May, ending the escalation, he said, urging all sides to reduce tensions and solidify the fragile calm.\u00a0 He went on to emphasize that sustained calm is crucial to supporting Egyptian-led efforts to advance intra-Palestinian reconciliation with a view to restoring a unified, legitimate Palestinian government in Gaza.<\/p>\n While Gaza continues to command significant attention, the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is of growing concern, he reported, stressing that Israel\u2019s construction of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is illegal under international law and remains a substantial obstacle to peace.\u00a0 For instance, the Israeli authorities demolished or seized 40 Palestinian structures during the reporting period, displacing 31 people, he noted.\u00a0 Turning briefly to other Middle East issues, he said the situation in the Golan is calm, while the potential for heightened tension between the parties to the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement remains.\u00a0 In Lebanon, the Cabinet started reviewing the draft 2019 State budget on 30\u00a0April, as some protests continued over the reported austerity measures.<\/p>\n Reverting to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said the recent escalation in Gaza demonstrated once again the urgent need to solidify and expand the existing understandings between Israel and Hamas.\u00a0 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and its partners have tried yet again to mitigate the impact of the crisis, he noted, but its efforts will fail without progress on resolving the Palestinian divide, lifting the Gaza closures and charting a course towards a two-State solution based on long-standing international parameters, including relevant United Nations resolutions and previous agreements.\u00a0 Taking note of the invitation from the United States and Bahrain to convene Government, civil society and business leaders to discuss potential economic investment and initiatives that would be made possible by a future Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement, he underlined that a fundamentally political process remains the solution to the conflict.<\/p>\n PIERRE KR\u00c4HENB\u00dcHL, Commissioner-General of the\u00a0United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East<\/u>\u00a0(Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA), spoke by videoconference from Gaza, saying that never has support for the Agency to overcome a \u201ctruly existential crisis\u201d been as remarkable as it was in 2018.\u00a0 Some 42 countries and institutions increased their contributions to erase an unprecedented deficit of $446\u00a0million, he recalled.\u00a0 \u201cThese actions were vital to keeping open the 715 schools that Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA runs for over half a million female and male students in the West Bank \u2014 including East Jerusalem \u2014 Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria,\u201d he added.\u00a0 The support from donors also preserved primary health-care services for millions of patients through Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s network of 140 clinics.\u00a0 Spotlighting the desperate situation of those living in Gaza, he said successive armed confrontations, the blockade and the restrictions on movement have exacerbated their extreme hardship.<\/p>\n He went on to report that thousands of young people have been wounded and hundreds killed since March 2018, including 14 boys and girls aged 11 to 16 years who were students in Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA schools.\u00a0 \u201cI reiterate here my call for respect for international humanitarian law and my condemnation of the targeting of civilians,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThis includes rocket firing from Gaza that has led to civilian loss of life and injuries in Israel.\u201d\u00a0 Noting that poverty levels among Palestine refugees continue to rise, with many depending on aid for essential food needs, he cautioned that Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA only has enough money to run its operations until mid-June.\u00a0 \u201cIt is absolutely crucial to avoid a breakdown of our food pipeline,\u201d he emphasized.\u00a0 Moreover, it is essential to keep schools open for the next school year beginning in August and September.\u00a0 Turning to the West Bank, he said Palestine refugees living there are confronted with multiple consequences of the ongoing occupation, such as the demolition of homes and evictions.\u00a0 Live ammunition is fired during some military incursions, at times resulting in fatalities, he added.<\/p>\n Reverting to the situation of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA, he said: \u00a0\u201cIn addition to strong political backing in 2019, we require $1.2\u00a0billion for all our operations,\u201d calling upon all donors to repeat their generous support and preserve the successful dynamic created in 2018.\u00a0 The upcoming pledging conference, to be held in New York on 25\u00a0June, will be an important opportunity to that effect, he said.\u00a0 Emphasizing that it is political inaction \u2014 not the action of humanitarian organizations \u2014 that perpetuates conflict, he said nothing would be more important today than a renewed, genuine and inclusive effort to resolve the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.\u00a0 \u201cWe do not believe that the future of Palestine refugees should be framed by another 10, 20, 30 or more years of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThey need and deserve a just and lasting solution.\u201d<\/p>\n Statements<\/u><\/p>\n JASON GREENBLATT (United States<\/u>), while noting that all innocent victims \u2014 both Israeli and Palestinian \u2014 deserve better, emphasized: \u00a0\u201cIt is simply unacceptable that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad continue to target Israeli hospitals and schools\u201d and use civilians, including children, as human shields.\u00a0 There will be no end to this suffering until Hamas renounces terrorism and their vow to destroy Israel, he said, asking fellow Council members: \u00a0\u201cWhen will we clearly reject this terrorism?\u201d \u00a0The United States will always stand with Israel and support its fight against terror, he vowed, stressing that the terrible suffering that these attacks cause Israelis and Palestinians must end.\u00a0 Noting that Israel continues to face threats from enemies calling for its destruction, he said the first step towards ending this conflict is admitting that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are the primary barrier to the aspirations of the Palestinian people, who wish to live in peace.<\/p>\n Keeping the current fragile peace intact will require immense international pressure in order for the people of Gaza to move past the 12\u00a0years of suffering they have endured, he continued.\u00a0 He said the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA business model has failed the Palestinian people because it is tied to a growing community of beneficiaries.\u00a0 For its part, the United States will no longer commit to funding this model since it cannot help the Palestinians plan their lives, he said.\u00a0 \u201cWe did not come to this conclusion lightly,\u201d he emphasized, pointing out that the United States has donated $6\u00a0billion to the Agency\u2019s operations since its founding.\u00a0 However, Palestinians were misled year after year and used as political pawns, he said, asking: \u00a0\u201cWhat happens when Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s bank account is empty again?\u201d Describing Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA as a \u201cBand-Aid\u201d, he reiterated that the Palestinian people deserve better, pointing out that nothing is stopping the international community from choosing to reach out to Palestinians in refugee camps and to address their needs in a sustainable way.\u00a0 He went on to welcome engagement with host Governments to begin the transition of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA services.<\/p>\n \u201cWe tried to begin that conservation before we cut our aid, but no one wanted to engage in this,\u201d he recalled, reiterating that Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWWA is simply unable to fulfil the mandate given to it by the General Assembly.\u00a0 \u201cPalestinians have been held hostage to General Assembly resolutions,\u201d he added.\u00a0 Recalling that a similar number of Jewish refugees expelled from Arab lands also required assistance, he noted that they were not hostage to politics, but rather, were able to achieve a brighter future for their children.\u00a0 He asked: \u201cDo the Palestinians not deserve the same?\u201d\u00a0 Bahrain will host a conference in June to discuss ways to help the Palestinian people in a sustainable manner, yet Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA is holding a pledging conference for a broken system, he said.\u00a0 \u201cI approach this with humility, I acknowledge that I have not brought a solution,\u201d to the many challenges that persist, but \u201cwhat we do know is that it is time to move past Band-Aid solutions,\u201d he stressed.\u00a0 \u201cThis conflict is sad and tragic and complex, but we must stop pretending that Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA and United Nations resolutions will somehow resolve the conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n MANSOUR AYYAD SH. A. ALOTAIBI (Kuwait<\/u>) pointed out that a year has lapsed since Israel\u2019s crimes against Palestinian protestors.\u00a0 He said the perpetrators must be brought to justice and Israel itself must commit to observing international law, including international humanitarian law.\u00a0 \u201cIf we are to achieve fair, lasting and comprehensive peace through a negotiating process, there are fundamental principles that have to be respected,\u201d he emphasized, citing genuine commitment to peace.\u00a0 Arab countries have reiterated their position that peace must be a strategic choice, he said, adding: \u00a0\u201cWe declared our intention to resume serious negotiations towards a two-State solution.\u201d<\/p>\n He went on to declare: \u00a0\u201cWe cannot speak of peace when the Israeli occupation spreads,\u201d with settlements becoming a growing obstacle.\u00a0 Condemning all settlement activities as illegal, he stressed that they constitute flagrant violations of international law.\u00a0 \u201cWe cannot speak of peace when one party takes unilateral decisions,\u201d he added, pointing out that Israel continues to withhold tax revenue from the West Bank.\u00a0 This decision is in defiance of the Oslo Accords, he said, emphasizing: \u201cWe cannot speak of peace that is imposed on Palestinians by force.\u201d\u00a0 He warned that if Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s services are not provided, the suffering of the Palestinian people will only be exacerbated, and reiterated his delegation\u2019s support for enabling the Agency to carry out its services in Gaza and the West Bank.\u00a0 The current situation is the political outcome of Israel\u2019s illegal decisions, he said.<\/p>\n FRAN\u00c7OIS DELATTRE (France<\/u>) expressed concern over the new violence in Gaza, condemning attacks against Israel and expressing support for that country\u2019s right to defend itself.\u00a0 Noting that the exchanges of fire resulted in civilian casualties on both sides, he welcomed mediation efforts by the United Nations and Egypt and urged all sides to exercise restraint.\u00a0 Noting that Palestine refugees depend entirely on Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA for critical services such as education and food assistance, he said the Agency\u2019s funding crisis is an additional factor that should not exacerbate the already fragile situation.\u00a0 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s mandate remains necessary until a peace agreement is reached, he stressed, adding that France doubled its contributions to the Agency in 2019.\u00a0 While denouncing illegal settlement activity and emphasizing the importance of a two-State solution, he warned that the situation is almost at the point of no return.<\/p>\n CHRISTOPH HEUSGEN (Germany<\/u>) expressed support for Israel\u2019s right to exist and to defend itself, condemning all attacks against that country and emphasizing that his country will speak up whenever those rights are compromised.\u00a0 With only the two-State formula currently viable, any future plan must consider internationally agreed parameters, including those related to security guarantees for Israel and the right of self-determination for Palestinians.\u00a0 Moreover, any solution must be negotiated directly by the two parties, he said, stressing that unilateral actions, including the recognition by the United States of Jerusalem as Israel\u2019s capital, only added to the growing tensions.\u00a0 Underlining that Israel\u2019s settlement activity is illegal under international law, he expressed concern over the possible annexation of parts of the West Bank, a clear violation of international law.\u00a0 He went on to ask the representative of the United States who would teach Palestinian children if Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA cannot fund schools.\u00a0 He also asked the Commissioner-General why the donor conference is scheduled on the same day as the Bahrain conference.<\/p>\n JONATHAN GUY ALLEN (United Kingdom<\/u>), expressing grave concern over the escalation of violence, utterly condemned all rocket fire from Gaza into Israel.\u00a0 He also said that although it is the ultimate decision of Hamas to embrace rocket fire in violation of the Quartet agreement, Israel\u2019s actions must also be proportionate.\u00a0 Turning to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA, he said that against the backdrop of years of conflict, the Agency remains vital in maintaining continuity for essential services to Palestine refugees.\u00a0 He added that he recognizes the need for Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA to reform its model, noting that it has already taken on significant budget cuts.\u00a0 The United Kingdom remains worried about the impact of Israel\u2019s decision to withhold tax revenue from the Palestinian Authority, he said, cautioning against exacerbating the economic and humanitarian situation in Gaza and beyond.\u00a0 A stable Palestinian Authority is in the interest of both Israelis and Palestinians, he emphasized, declaring: \u00a0\u201cThis is PA\u2019s money.\u201d\u00a0 He urged the Palestinian Authority to accept the remaining tax revenue.\u00a0 Stressing that substantive peace talks between the parties on a solution based on the pre-1967 lines is the way to end the Arab-Israeli conflict and provide justice for both Israelis and Palestinians, he said the United Kingdom looks forward to studying the United States proposal on a solution.<\/p>\n JOANNA WRONECKA (Poland<\/u>) pointed out that the political process is almost entirely blocked, even taking all the commendable Egyptian mediation efforts into consideration.\u00a0 She went on to highlight Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s critical financial shortfalls, noting that the Agency has worked for nearly 70\u00a0years to ensure access to quality education \u2014 a human right fundamental to helping each child achieve his or her full potential.\u00a0 The unprecedented financial crisis forced Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA to take some very difficult measures, sometimes with tragic personal consequences for its staff members, she said.\u00a0 Emphasizing the importance of education and humanitarian services, including medical care, provided by the Agency to young Palestinians, she called for continued mobilization of additional funding for Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA.<\/p>\n VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation<\/u>) noted that a new source of tension in the Middle East has surfaced, this time around Iran.\u00a0 Emphasizing that confrontation must give way to dialogue, he said that encouraging strong relations among States of the region will help to improve the security situation in the wider Middle East.\u00a0 A just solution to the Palestinian problem will be fundamentally important to improving the situation in the region, he added.\u00a0 \u201cThere is no need to reinvent the wheel,\u201d he said, pointing out various existing mechanisms provide a foundation for resolving the conflict.\u00a0 However, the problem is not with the basis, he stressed, but with the many factors hampering resumption of the negotiating process.<\/p>\n He went on to underline that Israeli settlement activities and demolition of Palestinian properties must end.\u00a0 Similarly, all terrorist attacks must end and unity among the Palestinian ranks must be restored.\u00a0 This could lead to an end of the occupation that began in 1967, he said.\u00a0 \u201cWe see no alternative to the two-State formula,\u201d he emphasized, adding: \u00a0\u201cOther ideas are only misleading.\u201d\u00a0 Palestinians will not renounce their call for statehood no matter what they are promised, he said, emphasizing the critical need for practical measures to get the peace process out of this dangerous impasse.\u00a0 \u201cOur initiative to hold a meeting between Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu in Moscow still stands,\u201d he said.\u00a0 While underlining the need to maintain support for Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA, he said that rapidly resolving the conflict in the Middle East is in the best interest of all \u2014 Christians, Muslims and Jews.\u00a0 Citing his country\u2019s unique experience of coexistence among different religious groups, he emphasized the need to bring Heads of State and different religious leaders together.<\/p>\n JOS\u00c9 SINGER WEISINGER (Dominican Republic<\/u>) said accusations and counter-accusations are a tactic free of solutions.\u00a0 Commending Egypt\u2019s mediation efforts and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s continuing efforts to alleviate the suffering of Gaza\u2019s people, he expressed concern over the scarcity of water in the enclave.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is needed is recognition of the transboundary nature of water in a crisis situation,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Noting that Israel\u2019s withholding of tax revenue continues to exacerbate Palestinian suffering, he strongly condemned any act of violence against civilians, particularly women and children.\u00a0 He also called for a stronger international consensus around the Middle East conflict, underscoring the role of the United Nations in facilitating a two-State solution and the vision of the Israeli and Palestinian people living side-by-side.<\/p>\n KGAUGELO THERMINA MOGASHOA (South Africa<\/u>) noted that the grave situation in Gaza is a direct result of Israel\u2019s illegal blockade, which shatters any prospect of normal economic and social development for the 2\u00a0million Palestinian people trapped in what has been called an open-air prison.\u00a0 Unilateral actions, such as Israel\u2019s illegal settlement activity, have had a cumulative destructive impact on the lives of all who live in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, she said.\u00a0 Emphasizing that any settlements built on occupied land have no legal validity and are a flagrant violation of international law, she said any proposed peace plan should not allow Palestinian statehood to devolve into an entity devoid of sovereignty, territorial contiguity and economic viability.\u00a0 A two-State solution is the only credible one, she reiterated.<\/p>\n GBOLI\u00c9 D\u00c9SIR\u00c9 WULFRAN IPO (C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire<\/u>), reiterating appeals for restraint and avoidance of actions that compromise progress towards peace, expressed his delegation\u2019s firm support for a two-State solution \u2014 Israel and Palestine existing side-by-side, based on the pre-1967 borders.\u00a0 Noting the structural weaknesses affecting the Palestinians, including mass unemployment and lack of basic services, he encouraged the Council to mobilize assistance to meet their many needs.\u00a0 The peace process continues to be the appropriate framework within to make progress, he said, urging both sides to respect Security Council resolutions.\u00a0 There can be no military solution to the various crises plaguing the Middle East, he stressed.<\/p>\n GUSTAVO MEZA-CUADRA (Peru<\/u>) said that ending the current situation in the Middle East requires comprehensive efforts and called upon both sides to set aside their rhetoric of hate and anti-Semitism.\u00a0 Concerning Israel\u2019s settlement activities, he said: \u201cIt is urgent to put an end to the growing practice of settlements and demolitions of homes,\u201d which undermine possibilities of reaching a solution based on two States.\u00a0 He condemned the firing of rockets that jeopardize the lives of innocent civilians, while also highlighting the principle of proportionality of force.\u00a0 Poverty and marginalization play into the hands of those who promote violence and terrorism, he warned, underlining that intra-Palestinian reconciliation is not only essential to addressing Palestinian humanitarian needs, but also to resuming the peace process.<\/p>\n MARC PECSTEEN DE BUYTSWERVE (Belgium<\/u>) noted that the recent violence brought Israel and the Palestinians to the brink of a new conflict, incurred human costs and compromised prospects for peace.\u00a0 Condemning the launch of rockets from Gaza, he also noted efforts by the United Nations and Egypt to bring both sides to a ceasefire. \u00a0Economic and humanitarian conditions are of grave concern, he said, stressing the essential need for unconditional access to medical care.\u00a0 Belgium, therefore, fully supports the mandate of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA, he said, adding that the Agency is doing remarkable work in providing educational, health-care and protection services, while enabling Palestine refugees to fulfil their aspirations. \u00a0Referring to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s funding shortage, he emphasized that closing schools is not the best way to combat radicalization.<\/p>\n JUAN MBOMIO NDONG MANGUE (Equatorial Guinea<\/u>) said Gaza has been a flashpoint of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding that consistent exchanges of fire and surging violence adversely affect socioeconomic conditions. \u00a0According to reliable sources, more than half of the enclave\u2019s working-age people population are unemployed and shortages of drinking water and electricity add to their suffering, he said, calling for renewed commitments to voluntary funding for Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA. \u00a0He went on to express concern over Israel\u2019s closure of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron.\u00a0 Stressing that violence is the cause of suffering, he called upon Hamas to refrain from attacking Israel, and urged Israeli forces to avoid disproportionate responses, insisting that a two-State solution is the only viable way forward.<\/p>\n MA ZHAOXU (China<\/u>) welcomed the recent ceasefire agreement and commended the good offices effort by the United Nations and Egypt.\u00a0 He went on to emphasize that safeguarding the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people is an international obligation, and the international community must base its work on the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant Security Council resolutions, with a view to establishing a State of Palestine. \u00a0Effective implementation of Council resolution\u00a02334\u00a0(2016) is critical, he stressed, calling upon Israel to cease its destruction of Palestinian homes and end its settlement expansion.\u00a0 Unity must be maintained to relaunch peace talks, he said, adding that those with strong influence in the Middle East must play a constructive role.\u00a0 He also emphasized the need to facilitate intra-Palestinian reconciliation.\u00a0 Turning to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA, he noted that the Agency continues to improve the humanitarian situation for Palestine refugees in the face of extreme budgetary constraints.\u00a0 It is also preventing the spread of extremist ideology in refugee camps, he said, stressing that China will continue to make financial contributions to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA.<\/p>\n RETNO LESTARI PRIANSARI MARSUDI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of\u00a0Indonesia<\/u>\u00a0and Council President for May, spoke in her national capacity, describing the persistent construction of illegal settlements in the West Bank as de facto annexation.\u00a0 Recalling that Indonesia, Kuwait and South Africa organized an Arria formula meeting on this issue two weeks ago, she emphasized the urgent need to revive political will on all sides to work towards a credible peace plan and improve humanitarian conditions on the ground.\u00a0 She went on to call for the protection of the Palestinian civilians, measures to address the humanitarian situation and resumption of the peace process.\u00a0 Touching on the situations in Syria and Yemen, she said the world has seen enough evidence of how protracted conflicts in the Middle East have serious repercussions on peace and stability in many other parts of the world.\u00a0 The Security Council must, therefore, make real progress, particularly on the Palestinian question, she stressed.<\/p>\n FEDA ABDELHADY-NASSER, Deputy Permanent Observer for the\u00a0State of Palestine<\/u>, rejected attempts to characterize Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA as part of the problem, saying the Agency has done extraordinary work to alleviate the plight of millions of Palestinians, thereby contributing to regional stability. \u00a0International consensus on a two-State solution based on the pre-1967 borders remains strong, she said, adding that Israel\u2019s actions stand in sharp contrast to the global consensus.\u00a0 Regrettably, she said, its contempt and intransigence have only been emboldened further by recent decisions by the United States disregarding, contradicting and completely undermining the pillars of that consensus.\u00a0 She went on to recall that the Palestinian people and leadership made the most painful compromise more than 30\u00a0years ago in accepting the two-State formula and declaring the independence of their state on only 22\u00a0per\u00a0cent of their historic homeland.<\/p>\n She went on to describing that as the most generous offer of peace ever made, pointing out, however, that Israel has rejected it over and over again. \u00a0Today\u2019s one-State apartheid reality is that country\u2019s own doing, she said.\u00a0 The Palestinian leadership cannot accept a plan merely in order to improve the lives of Palestinians while the illegal occupation continues, she emphasized.\u00a0 Nor have Palestinians endured decades of suffering and waited nearly a century for freedom only to resign themselves to \u201climited autonomy\u201d.\u00a0 The vision that will offer Palestinian new opportunities to realize their full potential is one in which independence is the centrepiece, she said, stressing that Palestinians will not accept half solutions or a fait accompli as their fate.\u00a0 They will not surrender to despair, she added.\u00a0 They will persist on their journey to fulfil their legitimate national aspirations and inalienable rights, including the right to be a free people living in security, dignity and peace in their own homeland.<\/p>\n DANNY BEN YOSEF DANON (Israel<\/u>) said Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA has been political since its inception, adding that no other refugee population \u2014 not that of Syria or Yemen \u2014 has such an agency serving it.\u00a0 Every other refugee in the world is under the jurisdiction of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵHCR), he pointed out. \u00a0Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA grants special refugee status that is passed down through generations, he said, adding that the vast majority of beneficiaries do not meet the criteria required of other refugees around the world.<\/p>\n Recalling that five Arab States attacked Israel in 1948, when Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA was established, he said what began as 750,000 Palestinian refugees has now turned into 5\u00a0million.\u00a0 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA continues to play a biased role in the conflict, he added. \u00a0Meanwhile, 2.1\u00a0million Palestinians in Gaza who have never crossed an international border \u2014 which is required to be considered a refugee \u2014 are deemed refugees, he noted. \u00a0\u201cWhy is a Palestinian born in Ramallah and who has lived there his entire life considered a refugee?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n He went on to point out that the right to return, if realized, would erase the State of Israel \u201cjust by sheer numbers\u201d, but this sentiment runs rampant today. \u00a0He recalled that during his visit to the General Assembly, the President of the Palestinian Authority said that he believes in a two-State solution but also pledged to fight for the return of 5\u00a0million refugees. \u00a0It is not possible to have both, he stressed.<\/p>\n Citing reports of a close relationship between Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA employees and the Hamas leadership, he said the Agency\u2019s schools have served as terrorist training camps, noting that each one has a Hamas representative.\u00a0 Noting that Hamas fire recently killed Israeli as well as Palestinian civilians when one rocket malfunctioned and failed to launch, he emphasized that it is time to stop pumping money into an organization that has perpetuated Palestinian suffering. \u00a0The Council must recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s mandate must come to an end, he stressed, asking the Commissioner-General to present the Agency\u2019s goals and the timeline for achieving them.<\/p>\n Mr. KR\u00c4HENB\u00dcHL, Commissioner-General, took the floor a second time, expressing gratitude for the support expressed today and addressing several remarks by delegations.\u00a0 Referring to the statement of the United States, he said that, while recognizing that funding for humanitarian operations is voluntary, he rejects the accompanying narrative that Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s model is irredeemably flawed. \u00a0Addressing the issues raised by Israel, he turned the question back to that country\u2019s representative, asking in turn: \u201cHow long?\u201d \u00a0He emphasized that it was never the intention of anyone at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA to see the Agency\u2019s existence last this long.\u00a0 The General Assembly tasked the Agency to implement a mandate and it will continue to do so until otherwise decided.\u00a0 He went on to explain that under international law, the children of refugees are also considered refugees, and Palestine refugees are no different. \u00a0He went on to stress that he simply cannot accept questions about Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s neutrality.\u00a0 Indeed, the Agency did find weapon components in its schools during the conflict in 2014, but it communicated that information, he said. \u00a0Upon realizing that tunnels had been dug under its schools, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA not only condemned Hamas publicly, it also filled the tunnels with cement.<\/p>\n For information media. Not an official record.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 8532ND MEETING (AM) SC\/13820 22 MAY 2019 video Fran\u00e7ais Israel, United States Question Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA\u2019s Neutrality, Value, as Many Delegates Stress Its Critical Role in Providing Vital Services With the recent flare-up of violence in Gaza as the central topic of discussion in the Security Council today, members also considered the funding shortage affecting the United […]<\/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":[5352,1362,1897,5954,1877],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[6156,1769,1945,2265,2005,5200,2181,5033,1745,1965,2117],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542,6541],"class_list":["post-214964","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-french-text","document-category-press-release","document-category-video","document-category-webcast","document-source-secretary-general","document-source-security-council","document-source-united-nations-department-of-public-information-dpi","document-source-united-nations-relief-and-works-agency-for-palestine-refugees-in-the-near-east-unrwa-barrier-monitoring-unit-bmu","document-source-united-nations-special-coordinator-for-the-middle-east-peace-process-unsco","document-subject-agenda-item","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-assistance","document-subject-ceasefire","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-humanitarian-relief","document-subject-negotiations-and-agreements","document-subject-protests","document-subject-refugees-and-displaced-persons","document-subject-situation-in-lebanon","document-subject-terrorism","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english","document-language-french"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/214964","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\/214964\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=214964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=214964"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=214964"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=214964"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=214964"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=214964"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=214964"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=214964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}