AHLC and other reports

Statement by United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, on his meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Hamdallah in Ramallah

Ramallah, 16 October 2017

“This afternoon I met with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah to discuss the implementation of the intra-Palestinian agreement that was signed in Cairo on 12 October.

The agreement provides for the return of the crossings of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority by 1 November. The timely and effective implementation of this provision and concrete steps to alleviate the humanitarian crisis will be critical for effectively empowering the Palestinian Government in Gaza.

The agreement is also an important step towards achieving the goal of Palestinian unity under a single, democratic and legitimate Palestinian national authority.

The United Nations will continue working with the Palestinian leadership, Egypt and the region in support of this process, which is critical for reaching a negotiated two-state solution and sustainable peace.”

[ENDS]

The Secretary-General spoke today with H.E. Mr Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the State of Palestine. The Secretary-General congratulated the President on the intra-Palestinian agreement signed earlier today in Cairo.

The Secretary-General was encouraged by the recent progress in allowing the Palestinian Government to take up its responsibilities in Gaza, and welcomed the efforts of Egypt to achieve this goal.

He emphasized the continuing need to urgently address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, particularly with regard to the electricity crisis, and improved access to and from the territory.

The Secretary-General reiterated that the United Nations stands ready to continue working with the Palestinian authorities and the region in support of the Government in assuming its responsibilities in Gaza.

Statement by United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, on his meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Hamdallah in Gaza

Gaza, 3 October 2017

“This morning I met with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Gaza. I was encouraged by the firm commitment of President Abbas and the Government to return to Gaza under the full control of the legitimate Palestinian Authority. This is essential for resolving the humanitarian situation as soon as possible, most notably the crippling electricity and health crises, and should facilitate the lifting of the movement and access restrictions on Gaza, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1860.

I am encouraged by the continuing engagement of Egypt with all sides to ensure the implementation of the Cairo understandings.

The United Nations stands ready to continue working with the legitimate Palestinian authorities and the region in support of the Government in taking up its responsibilities in Gaza.

I reiterate the call of the Middle East Quartet to end the militant activities in Gaza and ensure that peace with Israel is achieved on the basis of negotiations.

Gaza is and must be an integral part of the future Palestinian state.”

[ENDS]

Statement by United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, on today’s attack in a settlement in the occupied West Bank

Jerusalem, 26 September 2017

“I condemn this morning’s shooting attack by a Palestinian perpetrator in the Har Adar settlement in which one Israeli policeman and two security guards were killed, and another was seriously injured. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all victims and I hope for a full and speedy recovery of the wounded.

It is deplorable that Hamas and others continue to glorify such attacks, which undermine the possibility of a peaceful future for both Palestinians and Israelis. I urge all to condemn violence and stand up to terror.”

[ENDS]

The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine.

The Secretary-General and President Abbas discussed the Middle East Peace Process noting that the two-state solution is the only viable option to sustainable peace. The Secretary-General reiterated his commitment to a comprehensive and lasting resolution of the conflict. He welcomed the recent developments towards Palestinian unity.

The Secretary-General also highlighted that the United Nations will continue providing development support to the Palestinian people.

https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/readout/2017-09-19/readout-secretar…

Statement by United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, on recent Hamas statement

Jerusalem, 17 September 2017

“I welcome the recent statement by Hamas announcing the dissolving of the Administrative Committee in Gaza and agreement to allow the Government of National Consensus to assume its responsibilities in Gaza.

I commend the Egyptian authorities for their tireless efforts in creating this positive momentum. All parties must seize this opportunity to restore unity and open a new page for the Palestinian people.

The United Nations stands ready to assist all efforts in this respect. It is critical that the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, most notably the crippling electricity crisis, be addressed as a priority."

[ENDS]

بيان صادر عن المنسق الخاص للأمم المتحدة لعملية السلام في الشرق الأوسط، السيد نيكولاي ملادينوف بشأن بيان حماس الأخير

القدس، 17 أيلول 2017

"أرحب بالبيان الذي أصدرته حماس مؤخرا والذي أعلنت فيه حل اللجنة الإدارية في غزة والاتفاق على السماح لحكومة التوافق الوطني بتحمل مسؤولياتها في غزة.

أثني على السلطات المصرية لجهودها الدؤوبة في خلق هذا الزخم الإيجابي. يجب على جميع الأطراف اغتنام هذه الفرصة لاستعادة الوحدة وفتح صفحة جديدة للشعب الفلسطيني.

ان الأمم المتحدة مستعدة لدعم الجهود المبذولة في هذا الصدد. انه لمن الأهمية البالغة ان يتم معالجة الوضع الإنساني الخطير في غزة، وبالأخص أزمة الكهرباء، كأولوية".

]انتهى[

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.

We are grateful to Norway for convening and chairing this important forum.

Last month, I accompanied the Secretary-General in his first visit to Israel and Palestine in his new capacity. In the visit, he had the chance to speak with Palestinians and Israelis and with their leadership about their concerns, hopes and aspirations. The Secretary-General came away more convinced than ever that there is no alternative to the two-state solution that can bring an end to the conflict and meet the legitimate national aspirations and security needs of both sides.

The evolving situation in the occupied Palestinian territory these past few months is deeply worrying. A man-made humanitarian crisis in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating, somewhat slowed by the United Nations delivery of fuel to key infrastructure facilities. The situation also remains volatile in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with little hope for a political breakthrough on the horizon.

The development needs of the Palestinian people, however, cannot be held hostage to the political stalemate. Israel, the Palestinian Leadership and the international community must each take tangible steps to improve socio-economic conditions on the ground and to protect human rights.

However, economic development, critical as it is, is no substitute for sovereignty and statehood. Efforts aimed at achieving both must proceed in parallel. We must simultaneously pursue a three track approach — a political process with the clear objectives of two states living side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition; a substantial effort to improve the socio-economic conditions of Palestinians that would reduce the vast discrepancies between the two societies; and an active engagement with the region to support the process.

This approach also requires dealing with the obstacles to meaningful engagement.

Settlement activity remains a substantial impediment to the implementation of the two-state solution. It is illegal under international law and needs to stop. Violence and incitement, as well as the political divisions between Gaza and the West Bank also present substantial challenges to peace.

Let me address also the situation in Gaza which is rapidly deteriorating and remains of grave concern for all of us. Hamas’ rule and militant buildup have continued for ten years. Israel’s restrictive closures also remains a key impediment to Gaza’s development. This long-standing reality is further exacerbated by the internal political divide between Fatah and Hamas.

In this regard, I welcome the recent statement by Hamas announcing the dissolution of the Administrative Committee in Gaza and agreement to allow the Government of National Consensus to assume its responsibilities in the Strip.

I commend the Egyptian authorities for their tireless efforts in creating this positive momentum and I encourage all parties to seize this opportunity to restore unity and open a new page for the Palestinian people. This should facilitate the removal of Israeli closures on Gaza, in line with Security Council Resolution 1860.

The United Nations stands ready to assist all efforts in this respect, most notably to address the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza and crippling electricity crisis.

When I visited Gaza with the Secretary-General, I saw firsthand the deep sense of isolation within the population.

Let me be clear - the risk of a major humanitarian breakdown is very high today as essential services are largely operating on back-up generators and with fuel provided by the UN.

Today, our first priority should be to urgently stabilize the electricity supply by restoring the electricity coming from Israel to at least to pre-crisis levels. Once this is done we can seize the momentum and create a facility to finance the necessary infrastructure upgrades and increase electricity supply without a negative effect on the already strained Palestinian budget.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

In conclusion, on the occasion of this AHLC, as we renew our commitment to support the development of the State of Palestine, we must take stock of the progress achieved to date. The formidable challenges notwithstanding, the Palestinian Authority has made tremendous strides in its ability to deliver services and expand its economy. These are laudable achievements, absolutely, but not an end goal. For more than 20 years, we have told Palestinians that they need to focus on institution building and socio-economic development. We have encouraged and supported them in preparing for statehood. The time has come for us to deliver on that promise.

In this context, I want to express the steadfast commitment of the United Nations to do everything in its power to realize the two-state solution, to protect human rights and to advance the development aspirations of the people of the occupied Palestinian territory.

Today, I hope that we can together commit to systematically easing the political constraints to Palestine’s development and statehood. I hope you will all take back to your capitals the urgency of the situation and a clear vision of the way forward.

I wish you the very best in your endeavors.