Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUnifeed
UN / MIDDLE EAST
STORY: UN / MIDDLE EAST
TRT: 02:06
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 20 NOVEMBER 2017, NEW YORK CITY
RECENT - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior
20 NOVEMBER 2017, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, United Nations:
“By signing The Cairo agreement on 12 October, Palestinians embarked on a long road that could lead to reconciliation. First, however, they must solve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and return the Strip under the full civilian and security control of the Palestinian Authority. If success is to be achieve the failed policies of the past must be avoided, security for Palestinians and Israelis must be preserved, and all sides must be willing to compromise in the interests of peace.”
4. Med shot, delegates
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, United Nations:
“I call on the international community to join the United Nations in condemning the continued construction of tunnels and such reckless statements. At a time when Palestinians in Gaza - who have lived with closures for a decade, who have survived three conflicts, and have had to struggle to merely exist - are seeing hope for the future, such actions and statements risk a dangerous escalation that could destroy the prospects for intra-Palestinian reconciliation.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, United Nations:
“The United Nations considers all settlement activities illegal under international law. They constitute a substantial obstacle to peace and should cease.”
8. Med shot, delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, United Nations:
“With all the difficulties inherent in the Egyptian-led process and concerns about the timing and modalities of the Palestinian Authority's assumption of full civilian and security control of Gaza, the process must not be allowed to fail. If it does, it will most likely result in another devastating conflict. Whether it would be triggered by a meltdown of law and order in Gaza, by the reckless action of extremists or by strategic choice the result will be the same -devastation and suffering for all. This cycle must be avoided at all costs.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said if Palestinian reconciliation is to be successful, “the failed policies of the past must be avoided, security for Palestinians and Israelis must be preserved, and all sides must be willing to compromise in the interests of peace.”
Addressing the Security Council today (20 Nov), Mladenov said the signing of the Cairo agreement last month put Palestinians on “a long road that could lead to reconciliation.” He said the Palestinian Authority regained control over Gaza crossings on the first of November and the transfer of responsibility at Gaza-based public institutions is slowly proceeding. He encouraged all sides to use tomorrow's Cairo meeting to reinforce their commitment to a gradual process of implementing the Cairo agreement, and to ensure that positive momentum is sustained.
Mladenov said despite this progress, Gaza residents have not seen any improvements to their daily lives. Power outages of 18 to 20 hours a day continue; most of the population has access to piped water for only 3-5 hours every five days; untreated sewage continues to flow into the Mediterranean Sea at catastrophic levels; and 45 percent of essential drugs and medical supplies have now reached zero stock. He noted that only the most critical health, water and sanitation facilities are functioning through donor-funded emergency fuel distributed by the United Nations. He said the UN 2017 Gaza humanitarian appeal called for $25 million in new funding to meet the most critical priorities, $10.8 million of which remains unmet, and urged donors to support this appeal.
The Special Coordinator said Israeli forces recently uncovered a tunnel that extended from Gaza into Israel. Islamic Jihad said the group's aim in constructing the tunnel was to kidnap Israeli soldiers and it stated that it will continue to pursue this goal. Mladenov called on the international community to join the UN in condemning the continued construction of tunnels and such “reckless statements.” He said, “At a time when Palestinians in Gaza - who have lived with closures for a decade, who have survived three conflicts, and have had to struggle to merely exist - are seeing hope for the future, such actions and statements risk a dangerous escalation that could destroy the prospects for intra-Palestinian reconciliation.”
Turning to settlements, Mladenov said Israeli planning authorities approved building permits for at least 418 housing units, and a conditional approval of 178 housing units in the East Jerusalem. On November l0th, the Israeli Prime Minister pledged to advance $226 million for the construction of infrastructure in the occupied West Bank that improves the connectivity of settlements to Israel potentially facilitating their expansion. Mladenov said the UN “considers all settlement activities illegal under international law; they constitute a substantial obstacle to peace and should cease.”
The Special coordinator said the Egyptian-led process for Palestinian unity “must not be allowed to fail” adding that if it does, “it will most likely result in another devastating conflict.” He said, “Whether it would be triggered by a meltdown of law and order in Gaza, by the reckless action of extremists or by strategic choice the result will be the same -devastation and suffering for all; this cycle must be avoided at all costs.”
Download
There is no media available to download.
