UN / PALESTINE

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, told the Security Council on Tuesday that he remains “deeply troubled by the continued loss of life and serious injuries, including children, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the overall deterioration of the security situation”. UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:32
• Production Date: 22 March 2022
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: TOR WENNESLAND
• Corporate Name: SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: MIDDLE EAST SITUATION
• Geographic Subject: ISRAEL; PALESTINE
• MAMS Id: 2720933
• Parent Id: 2720933
• Alternate Title: unifeed220322b

Description

STORY: UN / PALESTINE
TRT: 2:32
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 22 MARCH 2022, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior UN Headquarters
2. Wide shot, Security Council, Tor Wennesland on screen
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
“I remain deeply concerned by the continued settlement advancement by Israel in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Settlement expansion continues to fuel violence in the OPT, further entrenching the occupation, undermining the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and independent statehood, and eroding the possibility of establishing a contiguous and viable Palestinian State.”
4. Med shot, Council President
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
“I am deeply troubled by the continued loss of life and serious injuries, including children, in the OPT and the overall deterioration of the security situation, including an apparent increase in shooting attacks during the reporting period. The possible excessive use of force by Israeli security forces continues to raise serious concerns, particularly the use of live ammunition.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council, Tor Wennesland on screen
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
“We have regrettably seen little progress in the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 since its adoption in December 2016. On the contrary, the absence of a meaningful peace process to end the Israeli occupation and resolve the conflict is fueling a dangerous deterioration that is destabilizing the situation across the OPT.”
8. Med shot, Council President
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
“In just over a week, as Ramadan begins, thousands of Muslims will come to pray at the Muslim Holy Sites in Jerusalem, with the Jewish and Christian faithful following soon after to mark Pesach and Easter in April. This should be a time of peaceful reflection, prayer and celebration for all religions. Provocations must be avoided. Leaders on all sides have a critical role to play in ensuring calm.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council, Tor Wennesland on screen

Storyline

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, told the Security Council on Tuesday that he remains “deeply troubled by the continued loss of life and serious injuries, including children, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the overall deterioration of the security situation”.

“The possible excessive use of force by Israeli security forces continues to raise serious concerns, particularly the use of live ammunition,” he said.

Briefing the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East via video teleconference, Wennesland also noted the “continued settlement advancement by Israel in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem” saying that it “continues to fuel violence in the OPT, further entrenching the occupation, undermining the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and independent statehood, and eroding the possibility of establishing a contiguous and viable Palestinian State.”

According to him, some 670,000 Israeli citizens currently reside in over 130 illegal settlements and over 100 outposts in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Wennesland is particularly concerned about the increasing settlement advancements in and around East Jerusalem.

“Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of United Nations resolutions and international law and are a serious impediment to peace,” he said, urging the Government of Israel to cease all settlement activity immediately.

Regarding the implementation of the Security Council resolution 2334, the Special Coordinator said that “little progress” had been made since its adoption in December 2016.

“We have regrettably seen the contrary, the absence of a meaningful peace process to end the Israeli occupation and resolve the conflict is fueling a dangerous deterioration that is destabilizing the situation across the OPT,” he said.

Wennesland concluded by noting that, in just over a week, as Ramadan begins, thousands of Muslims will come to pray at the Muslim Holy Sites in Jerusalem, with the Jewish and Christian faithful following soon after to mark Pesach and Easter in April.

“This should be a time of peaceful reflection, prayer and celebration for all religions. Provocations must be avoided. Leaders on all sides have a critical role to play in ensuring calm,” he said.