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STORY: UN / MIDDLE EAST
TRT: 3.09
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS
DATELINE: 21 NOVEMBER 2011, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
1.Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters
21 NOVEMBER 2011, NEW YORK CITY
2.Wide shot, Security Council
3.Med shot, delegates
4.SOUNDBITE (English) Robert H. Serry, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
“Provocations continue to damage confidence and make resuming direct negotiations very difficult. Settlements are expanding, undermining the territorial basis for a future Palestinian state and the credibility of Palestinian moderates. The Palestinian UN bid is viewed negatively by Israel and the Palestinian authority’s tax revenue is being withheld by the Government of Israel. UNESCO’s funding has also been affected. Palestinian unity has not moved forward though there is speculation about future development. Meanwhile, Gaza has once again witnessed dangerous violence after rockets fired by militants into Israel and Israeli strikes.”
5.Med shot, delegates
6.SOUNDBITE (English) Robert H. Serry, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
“The Israeli Government reacted to the UNESCO outcome by freezing the transfer of VAT and customs revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority pursuant to the Paris Protocol. These funds amount to approximately 100 million US dollars per month and represent two thirds of the Palestinian Authority’s annual revenues. Withholding this level of funding would cripple any government, let alone an authority under occupation. If not immediately unblocked, this action threatens the state-building gains made by the Palestinian Authority including the increased good governance felt by the Palestinian people and the development of the security forces that uphold law and order in the West Bank.”
7.SOUNDBITE (English) Robert H. Serry, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
“We must de-escalate this situation. In addition to acting on its settlement obligations, Israel should heed the calls of the Secretary-General and other international leaders to unfreeze transfers to the Palestinian Authority immediately in accordance with existing agreements. Donors should also unblock their funding to the Palestinian Authority. For its part, the Palestinian Authority should find ways to contribute to de-escalation of the situation and improve in the prevailing divisive climate, including in the international arena.”
8.Med shot, delegates
9.Wide shot, Security Council
10.Med shot, Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Portas, walks to the stakeout position
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
11.Close up, reporter’s notepad
21 NOVEMBER 2011, NEW YORK CITY
12.SOUNDBITE (English) Paulo Portas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal:
“It is encouraging that the Palestinians have already presented proposals on borders and on security. We need direct talks between the parties. It is important that Israel show the same seriousness of intent by presenting its views also on borders and refraining from illegal action. Portugal vehemently condemns Israel unabated settlement activity and decision to illegally withhold Palestinian tax revenue.”
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
13.Close up, reporters’ notepads
21 NOVEMBER 2011, NEW YORK CITY
14.Zoom out, Portas walks away from the stakeout position
The top United Nations envoy to the Middle East today (21 November) called on Israel and the Palestinians to refrain from provocations and submit concrete proposals to revive the peace process and engage in direct negotiations.
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry told the Security Council that “provocations continue to damage confidence and make resuming direct negotiations very difficult.”
He noted that Israeli settlements are expanding, “undermining the territorial basis for a future Palestinian state and the credibility of Palestinian moderates.”
He also observed that the Palestinian bid for UN membership “is viewed negatively by Israel” and that Palestinian authority’s tax revenue is being withheld by the Government of Israel.
Serry pointed out that Gaza “has once again witnessed dangerous violence after rockets fired by militants into Israel and Israeli strikes.”
In addition, he said that the Israeli Government is withholding some $100 million in Palestinian Authority tax revenue following Palestinian membership in the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
He added that “withholding this level of funding would cripple any government, let alone an authority under occupation” and “if not immediately unblocked” it would threaten the state-building gains made by the Palestinian Authority.
Serry called on all parties to “de-escalate this situation” and said that Israel “in addition to acting on its settlement obligations” should “heed the calls of the Secretary-General and other international leaders to unfreeze transfers to the Palestinian Authority immediately in accordance with existing agreements.”
The Palestinian Authority, for its part “should find ways to contribute to de-escalation of the situation and improve in the prevailing divisive climate, including in the international arena.”
Outside the Council, Paulo Portas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, which holds the presidency of the Security Council for the month of November, told reporters that it was “encouraging” that Palestinians presented proposals on borders and on security in accordance to Quartet negotiations.
He said that it is important that Israel “show the same seriousness of intent by presenting its views also on borders and refraining from illegal action”
He stressed that “Portugal vehemently condemns Israel unabated settlement activity and decision to illegally withhold Palestinian tax revenue.”
Direct talks stalled in late September last year after Israel refused to extend its freeze on settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory. That decision prompted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to withdraw from direct talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which had only resumed a few weeks earlier after a two-year hiatus.
