UN / MIDDLE EAST

The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Miroslav Jenča, welcomed the signing of the intra-Palestinian agreement earlier this month, but noted that “the agreement does not contain any provisions related to elections, the formation of a national unity government, or the disarming of Hamas.” UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:55
• Production Date: 18 October 2017
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: DANNY DANON; RIYAD MANSOUR
• Corporate Name: SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: AGREEMENTS; HUMAN RIGHTS; OCCUPATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY; TERRORISM
• Geographic Subject: IRAN; ISRAEL; MIDDLE EAST; PALESTINE
• MAMS Id: 2007250
• Parent Id: 2007250
• Alternate Title: unifeed171018a

Description

STORY: UN / MIDDLE EAST
TRT: 02:55
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 22 AUGUST 2017, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Close up, United Nations flag in front of UN headquarters

22 AUGUST 2017, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Council
3. Med shot, Palestinian Ambassador
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs:
“The agreement does not contain any provisions related to elections, the formation of a national unity government, or the disarming of Hamas. The Secretary-General has spoken to President Abbas and welcomed the signing of this intra-Palestinian agreement. Its timely implementation and concrete efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis will be critical for effectively empowering the Palestinian government in Gaza.”
5. Med shot, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs:
“For the sixth consecutive month, the two-million people living in Gaza have received electricity for a mere four to six hours per day. The lack of energy has had a devastating impact on all aspects of their lives. It continues to disrupt essential public services including health care, the water supply and sanitation systems. The equivalent of over 40 Olympic -size swimming pools of virtually raw sewage continues to flow daily into the Mediterranean Sea, leaving the whole shoreline contaminated. Gaza is an unfolding environmental disaster that has no regard for borders.”
7. Med shot, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations:
“Reunification of our people, land, and political system are among our highest national priorities. We are fully aware of its centrality to achievement of our national aspirations for independence and the realization of our people's inalienable rights and justice. We are thus undertaking the necessary steps with due responsibility, in response to the calls of our people, first and foremost, as well as the regional and global calls, for unity.”
9. Med shot, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations:
“On behalf of the State of Israel, I hereby indict the Islamic Republic of Iran on the following charges; first, sponsoring and endorsing worldwide terror. Second, violating human rights. Third, vilifying Jews and promoting anti-Semitism. And fourth, seeking to destroy a UN member state, the State of Israel.”
11. Med shot, delegates
12. Wide shot, end of meeting

Storyline

The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Miroslav Jenča, today (18 Oct) welcomed the signing of the intra-Palestinian agreement earlier this month, but noted that “the agreement does not contain any provisions related to elections, the formation of a national unity government, or the disarming of Hamas.”

He said the “timely” implementation of the agreement, and “concrete efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis will be critical for effectively empowering the Palestinian government in Gaza.”

Jenča said “for the sixth consecutive month, the two-million people living in Gaza have received electricity for a mere four to six hours per day.”

He said “the equivalent of over 40 Olympic-size swimming pools of virtually raw sewage continues to flow daily into the Mediterranean Sea, leaving the whole shoreline contaminated,” adding that “Gaza is an unfolding environmental disaster that has no regard for borders.”

For his part, Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said “reunification of our people, land, and political system are among our highest national priorities.”

Thus, he said, the Palestinian authorities are “undertaking the necessary steps with due responsibility, in response to the calls of our people, first and foremost, as well as the regional and global calls, for unity.”

Also, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon, “on behalf of the State of Israel” issued an indictment on Iran for “first, sponsoring and endorsing worldwide terror. Second, violating human rights. Third, vilifying Jews and promoting anti-Semitism. And fourth, seeking to destroy a UN member state, the State of Israel.”