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TOR WENNESLAND

UN SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING ON THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UN SCR 2334 (2016)

27 September 2023

[As delivered]

Mister President,

Members of the Security Council,

Today’s briefing is devoted to the 27^th report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016). The reporting period is from 15 June to 19 September.

Mister President,

Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) calls on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” and to “fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard.” Settlement activity has, nevertheless, continued.

Israeli authorities advanced plans for 6,300 housing units in Area C, including the retroactive “legalization”, under Israeli law, of three outposts near the settlement of Eli. In East Jerusalem, approximately 3,580 housing units were advanced.

On 11 September a plan for 3,500 housing units was advanced, most of which are located in East Jerusalem on land owned by the Greek Orthodox Church. The Church said the units will be for members of the Christian community.

On 18 June, the Israeli Government removed the requirement for Ministerial approval at interim stages of settlement planning and delegated this authority to the Additional Minister in the Ministry of Defense, likely expediting settlement expansion.

On 2 August, the Israeli Supreme Court dismissed a petition to dismantle an outpost established in the former settlement of Homesh in the occupied West Bank, evacuated under the 2005 Disengagement Law.

Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures continued across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, Israeli authorities, demolished, seized or forced people to demolish 238 structures, displacing 183 people, including 46 women and 91 children. 32 structures were donor funded.

On 11 July, Israeli Security Forces evicted a Palestinian family living in Jerusalem’s Old City since the 1950’s, handing the property to a settler organization, following a Supreme Court ruling that the property is owned by a Jewish trust, based on Israeli laws that allow only Jews to reclaim property they owned pre-1948.

On 17 August, a Palestinian elementary school in Ein Samiya serving nearly 80 pupils was demolished days before the start of the school year. Fifty-nine schools, serving some 6,500 Palestinian students, are at risk of demolition.

In a continuing trend, many Palestinians, including children, left from their communities citing violence by settlers and shrinking grazing land. Mister President,

Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) calls for “immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction.” Unfortunately, daily violence continued.

Over the reporting period, 68 Palestinians, including 18 children, were killed by Israeli security forces during demonstrations, clashes, security operations, attacks or alleged attacks against Israelis, and other incidents.

2,830 Palestinians, including 30 women and 559 children, were injured. Of that number, 271 were injured by live ammunition and 2,119 by tear gas inhalation. In addition, two Palestinians were killed and 73 injured, including three women and 12 children, amid a high level of attacks by Israeli settlers.

10 Israelis, including one woman, two children and three Israeli security forces personnel were killed, and 122 Israelis, including six women and six children, and 33 ISF personnel, were injured by Palestinians in attacks, clashes, stone-throwing and other incidents.

Israeli security forces carried out 1,042 search-and-arrest operations in the West Bank, resulting in 1,504 Palestinians arrested, including 88 children. Israel currently holds 1,264 Palestinians in administrative detention, the highest number in over a decade.

Mister President,

The high number of fatal incidents during the reporting period precludes us from detailing all but allow me to highlight a few.

Many Palestinian casualties in the occupied West Bank occurred in the context of Israeli operations in Area A, including some during subsequent armed clashes with increasingly sophisticated weaponry. On 15 August, in Aqbat Jaber refugee camp, south of Jericho, two Palestinians, including a 16-year-old boy were killed by Israeli security forces two others were killed on 17 and 22 August, including a 16-year-old boy, in Jenin and nearby az-Zababida village. On 19 September, four Palestinians were killed by ISF in the Jenin refugee camp during intensive armed exchanges.

Settler-related violence continued throughout the reporting period, including on 4 August, when armed Israeli settlers approached Burqa village near Ramallah, leading to stone-throwing confrontations with Palestinians. Settlers killed a 19-year-old Palestinian and injured another; one Israeli was injured by Palestinians throwing stones. Israeli Police arrested two Israelis and placed them under house arrest. In addition, on 27 August, Israeli settlers burned land south of Nablus and threw stones at two Palestinian houses.

Three Israelis, including one woman, were killed by Palestinian gunmen in shooting attacks in the occupied West Bank on 19 August and on 21 August.

In other incidents, on 15 August, armed Palestinians near Jenin attempted and failed to launch an improvised rocket towards an Israeli settlement in the area.

In Gaza, since late August, Palestinians resumed protests near the perimeter fence. Palestinian protestors have thrown stones and explosive devices towards ISF and launched incendiary balloons, and ISF have fired live ammunition and tear gas at protestors, resulting in casualties.

Mister President,

Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) calls for the parties to refrain from acts of provocation, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric. Unfortunately, such acts continued.

In an interview, an Israeli Minister said, “My right and that of my wife and my children, to travel on the roads in Judea and Samaria, is more important than the freedom of movement for Arabs.” A Member of the Israeli Knesset said that any "Palestinian running away from an Israel Defense Forces soldier must be shot," adding, "A Palestinian who approaches an IDF soldier must [also] be shot." An Israeli minister visited the Holy Sites on the Jewish commemoration day of Tisha B’av and called on Israelis to “return” to the Sites and “show our governance.”

In a speech, a senior Palestinian Authority (PA) official said that Hitler “fought against the Jews because they were dealing with usury and money” and denied that “Hitler killed the Jews for being Jews.” Officials or official social media posts from Fatah, Hamas and other Palestinian factions glorified perpetrators of attacks against Israeli civilians.

Mister President,

Resolution 2334 (2016) reiterated calls by the Middle East Quartet for “affirmative steps to be taken immediately to reverse negative trends on the ground that are imperiling the two-State solution.” Notwithstanding some positive steps, negative trends continued.

During this period, Israeli authorities reduced the handling fee for fuel that Israel transfers to the PA to increase revenues in the PA.

On 9 July, Israel’s Security Cabinet voted to act to “prevent the collapse of the Palestinian Authority”.

On 30 July, President Mahmoud Abbas chaired a meeting of Secretaries-General of Palestinian factions in Egypt, calling for a follow-up committee to complete dialogue to “end divisions and achieve Palestinian national unity.”

On 10 August, President Abbas issued a Presidential Decree, removing 12 of 16 PA Governors from office, including four from Gaza.

On 14 August, participants at a Hamas-organized meeting called for elections to take place in Gaza under Central Elections Commission (CEC) supervision; the call was welcomed by Hamas.

On 17 September, Erez Crossing was closed for exits due to Jewish holidays and has remained closed due to the violence near the security fence, with some exceptions including the transfer of patients for medical treatment. Over 22,000 work and business permit holders have been denied exit since the closure.

Meanwhile, funding shortages continue to undermine the UN’s ability to provide crucial services to Palestinians. UNRWA urgently needs USD 75 million to maintain food assistance through year-end for 1.2 million Palestinians in Gaza; while the World Food Programme requires USD 32 million to restore social assistance to priority families across the OPT. In addition, the humanitarian appeal for Palestinians throughout the OPT is funded at only 33 per cent.

Mr. President,

In resolution 2334 (2016), the Security Council also called upon all States “to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.”

On 26 June, the U.S. Department of State confirmed that it had circulated foreign policy guidance to relevant agencies advising that “engaging in bilateral scientific and technological cooperation with Israel in geographic areas which came under the administration of Israel after June 5, 1967, and which remain subject to final status negotiations, is inconsistent with U.S. foreign policy.”

Resolution 2334 (2016) also called upon “all parties to continue, inter alia, to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations.”

On 12 August, Saudi Arabia appointed an Ambassador to the State of Palestine and Consul General in Jerusalem for the first time since 1947.

On 14 August, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Abbas met in Egypt. Their joint statement noted, “the importance of Israel halting all settlement activity, the confiscation of Palestinian land and the eviction of Palestinians from their homes”, while underscoring that a "just and comprehensive solution" to the Palestinian cause is the key to stability in the region.

On 18 September Saudi Arabia, the League of Arab States and the European Union, in cooperation with Egypt and Jordan, convened a ministerial meeting to “discuss practical ways to reinvigorate” the Middle East Peace Process.

Mister President, in closing, allow me to share the Secretary-General’s observations on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016).

1. I remain deeply troubled by the unrelenting expansion of Israeli settlements and settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with over 10,000 housing units advanced in this reporting period alone. Settlements further entrench the occupation, fuel violence, impede Palestinian access to their land and resources, and systematically erode the viability of a Palestinian State as part of a two-State solution. I reiterate that settlements have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions. I call on the Government of Israel to cease all settlement activity and dismantle outposts immediately, in line with its obligations under international law.

2. The demolition and seizure of Palestinian structures, including internationally funded humanitarian projects, entail numerous human rights violations and raise concerns about the risk of forcible transfer. I call upon the Government of Israel to end this practice, in line with its international obligations, and to allow Palestinian communities to build and address their development needs.

3. I remain gravely concerned by the intensification of violence in the occupied West Bank and Israel – at levels not seen in decades – and the use of increasingly lethal weaponry, including in densely populated areas. Immediate steps are needed to de-escalate tensions.

4. I condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror. Such acts can never be justified and must be condemned by all. Perpetrators must be held accountable and swiftly brought to justice. I am disturbed by the high levels of settler-related violence, often in the proximity of Israeli Security Forces, with perpetrators rarely held accountable. Israel must act to stop all settler violence. I urge Israel, as the occupying Power, to abide by its obligations under international law to protect the Palestinian population against all acts or threats of violence.

5. I am appalled that children continue to be victims of violence. Children must never be the target of violence, used, or put in harm’s way.

6. Security forces must exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life. I call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law, including with regard to the proportional use of force, and ensure thorough, independent and prompt investigations into all instances of possible excessive use of force, holding those responsible to account.

7. In Gaza, the resurgence of violence near the perimeter fence is a reminder of the fragility of the situation and the risk of escalation. Despite some easing of access restrictions, more needs to be done to alleviate the humanitarian situation and improve the economy and freedom of movement. However, only sustainable political solutions, with the ultimate goal of lifting the debilitating Israeli closures in line with Security Council resolution 1860 (2009), will restore hope to Gaza’s long-suffering population.

8. I am disturbed by the multiple instances in which officials have used dangerous or racist rhetoric and engaged in incitement, which must be rejected by all.

9. I welcome President Abbas’ convening of Palestinian factions in Egypt and encourage all actors to take concrete steps towards reuniting Gaza and the occupied West Bank under a single, democratic Government. The absence of intra-Palestinian unity continues to undermine Palestinian national aspirations.

10. I remain concerned by the critical state of Palestinian Authority finances that is impacting the Government’s ability to deliver services and pay public sector salaries. I note the Israeli Security Cabinet’s decision to strengthen the Palestinian Authority and encourage Israel, and relevant stakeholders, to take tangible steps in this regard, while also encouraging the PA to undertake reforms.

11. I also urge Member States to enable UNRWA to deliver on its General Assembly mandate, to ensure delivery of essential services crucial to stability throughout the region. I also encourage additional support to WFP, so it can continue delivering vital assistance to the most vulnerable Palestinian families. I welcome the additional pledges made to UNRWA during the Ministerial meeting on 21 September.

12. There is no substitute for a legitimate political process that will resolve the core issues driving the conflict. I remain committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to end the occupation and resolve the conflict in line with international law, relevant United Nations resolutions, and bilateral agreements in pursuit of the vision of two States – Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable, and sovereign Palestinian State – living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both States.

Thank you.

The Syrian people both inside and outside Syria continue to suffer acutely from the conflict in all its dimensions, and the absence of a genuine political process is deeply detrimental to their well-being.

TOR WENNESLAND

SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

BRIEFING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

21 August 2023

Madam President,

Members of the Security Council,

I brief you today as the concerning trends we have seen in recent months continue throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Palestinians and Israelis are killed and injured in near daily violence – including just hours before this briefing when another fatal shooting attack killed an Israeli in the West Bank. This violence is fueled and exacerbated by a growing sense of despair about the future.

While the parties have taken some actions towards stabilizing the situation on the ground, unilateral steps, including settlement growth and demolitions, continue, as do Israeli operations in Area A, Palestinian militant activity and settler violence.

The lack of progress towards a political horizon that addresses the core issues driving the conflict has left a dangerous and volatile vacuum, filled by extremists on both sides. We are a long distance apart from the sentiments prevailing when the Oslo Accord was signed 30 years ago on 19 August.

Madam President,

Between 25 July and 15 August, 16 Palestinians, including five children, were killed and 59 Palestinians, including six women and 137 children, were injured by Israeli security forces (ISF) in the occupied West Bank during demonstrations, clashes, search-and-arrest operations, attacks and alleged attacks against Israelis, and other incidents. Another Palestinian was killed and eight others, including one child, were injured by Israeli settlers or other civilians in shooting attacks, stone-throwing and other incidents.

According to Israeli sources, one member of Israeli security forces was killed, and nine Israelis, including a woman and a child, were injured by Palestinians in shooting attacks, stone-throwing and other incidents.

As in previous months, many Palestinian casualties in the West Bank occurred in the context of Israeli operations and clashes in Area A. On 26 July and from 11 to 15 August, five Palestinians, including a 16-year old and a 17-year old, were killed by ISF in refugee camps near Nablus, Tulkarem and Jericho.

ISF also killed three Palestinians on 6 August, including a 15-year-old boy, near Jenin when ISF opened fire on their vehicle. According to a statement by Israeli security agencies, the three intended to carry out an imminent attack against Israelis. All were claimed as members by Palestinian militant groups.

In another incident, a 13-year-old boy died by an improvised explosive device in Qalqilya on 26 July.

Palestinians also carried out attacks or alleged attacks against Israelis. On 25 July, three Palestinians claimed by Hamas opened fire towards an Israeli checkpoint near the Mount Gerizim community, in the northern West Bank and were shot and killed by ISF. On 1 August, a Palestinian shot and injured six Israelis at a shopping mall in the Ma’ale Adumim settlement, before being killed by ISF. The same day, ISF shot and killed a 15-year-old Palestinian boy who allegedly attempted to stab two Israeli soldiers near a settlement, south of Hebron. On 5 August, a Palestinian from Jenin shot and killed a municipal patrolman in Tel Aviv, before being killed by a second patrolman.

Turning to settler-related violence, on 2 August an Israeli guard of the Ofra settlement fatally wounded a 17-year-old Palestinian after he reportedly threw a Molotov cocktail toward the settlement. On 4 August, armed Israeli settlers from the nearby outpost of Ramat Migron approached Burqa village near Ramallah, leading to stone-throwing confrontations with Palestinians. Settlers fired live ammunition, killing a 19-year-old Palestinian and injuring another; one Israeli was injured by Palestinians throwing stones. Israel Police arrested two Israelis on suspicion of involvement in the killing; six Palestinians were also arrested. Two days prior, settlers from the same outpost reportedly installed a tent and grazed sheep on private Palestinian land near the village.

Madam President,

As the violence spirals, I again reiterate that all perpetrators must be held accountable and swiftly brought to justice. Violence against civilians, including acts of terror, are unacceptable and must be condemned and rejected by all.

Security forces must exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when strictly unavoidable to protect life.

Madam President,

Turning to settlement-related developments, on 3 August, the Israeli Supreme Court dismissed a petition to dismantle an outpost established in the former settlement of Homesh, in the northern West Bank, evacuated as part of the 2005 Disengagement Law. The outpost had been set up following an amendment to that law by the Israeli Knesset in March, lifting the ban on Israelis entering the area.

On 7 August, the Jerusalem District Planning Committee advanced plans for approximately 2,000 housing units in the settlements of Nof Zion and Ramat Alon in East Jerusalem.

On 14 August, Israeli security forces demolished four structures in an outpost near Kokhav Hashahar settlement in the West Bank.

I reiterate that all settlements are illegal under international law and a substantial obstacle to peace.

Israeli authorities demolished, seized or forced owners to demolish 58 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C and six in East Jerusalem, displacing 28 Palestinians, including 14 children. The demolitions were carried out due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain.

On 17 August, a Palestinian elementary school in Ein Samiya serving nearly 80 pupils was demolished days before the start of the school year – the third such demolition in the past year.

I call on Israeli authorities to end demolitions of Palestinian-owned property and the displacement and eviction of Palestinians, and to approve additional plans that would enable Palestinians to build legally and address their development needs.

Madam President,

In July, Israel ended the additional monthly deductions of some USD 14 million from Palestinian clearance revenues that began in February. Some USD 14 million continues to be withheld each month in line with an Israeli law mandating the withholding of what Israel says the Palestinian Authority (PA) pays to perpetrators of attacks against Israelis, or to their families.

The PA’s fiscal state remains dire with a projected deficit of more than 370 million USD for 2023. Austerity measures have resulted in significant reductions to civil servant salaries and social assistance.

Meanwhile, funding shortages continue to curtail UN agencies’ ability to provide crucial services to Palestinians. To get to the end of the year, UNRWA needs USD 75 million urgently to maintain food assistance for 1.2 million Palestinians in Gaza, while the World Food Programme requires USD 41 million to restore its operations across the OPT.

Worryingly, more than halfway through 2023, the humanitarian appeal for Palestinians throughout the OPT is funded at just over thirty per cent.

I encourage Member States to maintain and increase their funding to UN agencies and humanitarian partners to ensure that they can continue delivering vital services on the ground.

Madam President,

On 30 July, President Mahmoud Abbas chaired a meeting of Secretaries-General of Palestinian factions in El Alamein, Egypt, which he convened following the major Israeli military operation in Jenin. Senior officials from Hamas and other Palestinian factions participated, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad refused to attend. In a subsequent statement, President Abbas called for a follow-up committee to complete dialogue on the issues discussed to “end divisions and achieve Palestinian national unity.”

On 10 August, President Abbas issued a Presidential Decree, retiring 12 of 16 PA Governors and establishing a committee to recommend candidates to the President for selection.

On 14 August, following a consultative meeting organized by Hamas, the movement welcomed the call by factions to hold local elections in Gaza.

Madam President,

Turning to Gaza, the cessation of hostilities continued to hold. Nevertheless, the humanitarian situation remains dire. The reporting period saw higher-than-normal electricity shortages of up to 12 hours per day, driven by a lack of capacity to meet soaring demand during the summer. On 1 August, the Gaza Power Plant increased electricity supply by nearly two hours a day thanks to additional funding from Qatar.

The power cuts sparked popular protests directed at Hamas authorities over living conditions, with thousands of Palestinians taking to the streets on 30 July. Video images of Hamas security forces beating protesters circulated widely. The protests were matched by Hamas-led counter-protests against the Israeli closure regime.

In violation of Palestinian law and of the State of Palestine’s international obligations, seven civilians in Gaza were sentenced to death for collaboration with Israel after a Hamas military appeals court upheld or strengthened previous sentences. I echo the Secretary-General in highlighting that the UN opposes the imposition of the death penalty in all circumstances.

Madam President,

Turning to the region, on the Golan, the ceasefire between Israel and Syria has been generally maintained. However, the situation has remained volatile due to continued violations of the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement of Forces by both parties.

In Lebanon, violent clashes in the Ein el Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp between Fatah and Islamist factions have led to at least 13 fatalities, with over 50 people injured. I echo the messages of the Special Coordinator for Lebanon in urging all actors to exercise restraint and to avoid any further violence.

As tensions along the Blue Line continue, including with respect to the disputed Shab’a Farms area and Ghajar, I urge political leaders in Lebanon and Israel to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric. I further urge the parties to continue their close engagement with UNSCOL and UNIFIL to defuse tensions and avoid any escalation, in addition to upholding their respective obligations under Security Council resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006).

Madam President,

Since my last briefing, we have witnessed a continuation of the negative trajectory that has marked this conflict for far too long. Violence continues on the upswing, with over 200 Palestinian and nearly 30 Israeli fatalities in the West Bank and Israel thus far this year, already surpassing 2022 annual figures, and the highest figure since 2005. Settlement expansion continues unabated. The fragility of the PA fiscal situation, compounded by funding shortages facing key UN agencies, threatens to worsen the plight of the most vulnerable Palestinians.

While we must urgently focus on addressing the most critical issues and on de-escalating the situation on the ground, we cannot ignore the need to restore a political horizon.

The United Nations remains firmly committed to supporting the parties to achieve an end to the occupation and the establishment of a two-State solution, in line with UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements.

Thank you.

KHALED KHIARI

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL

BRIEFING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

27 July 2023

Madam President,

Members of the Security Council,

Since Special Coordinator Wennesland’s last briefing to the Council on 27 June, the deterioration of the security situation in the occupied West Bank has continued, punctuated by a two-day Israeli operation in Jenin, the most intensive of its kind in nearly twenty years.

This deterioration is taking place alongside ongoing unilateral steps that undermine a two-State solution, the absence of a peace process and the continuing economic challenges facing Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority (PA). It is critical that all parties take urgent steps to stop the downward spiral and engage with each other to seek a constructive path forward.

Madam President,

From 27 June through 24 July, in the occupied West Bank, 21 Palestinians, including five children, were killed and 249 Palestinians, including five women and 22children, were injured by Israeli security forces during demonstrations, clashes, search-and-arrest operations, attacks and alleged attacks against Israelis, and other incidents. Another 20 Palestinians, including one woman and five children, were injured by Israeli settlers or other civilians in shooting attacks, stone-throwing and other incidents.

According to Israeli sources, two Israeli security forces personnel were killed, while another 39 Israelis, including four women, three children and eight Israeli security forces personnel, were injured by Palestinians in shooting and ramming attacks, clashes, the throwing of stones and Molotov cocktails, IEDs and other incidents.

The period saw a significant escalation in the ongoing wave of violence in the West Bank.

From 3 to 4 July in the Jenin Refugee Camp in Area A of the occupied West Bank, ISF carried out an operation, marked by multiple drone airstrikes and over 1,000 ground troops. Twelve Palestinians, including four children, were killed and over 140 injured – the most in a single operation in the West Bank since the UN began tracking casualties in 2005. According to eyewitnesses, a 17-year-old was killed was unarmed and not engaged in the fighting at the time he was shot. Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s (PIJ) Al-Quds Brigades claimed eight of the twelve fatalities as members, including the 17-year-old and other children. Israeli authorities said that none of the Palestinians killed in the operation had been noncombatants. One Israeli soldier was killed by live fire, in circumstances that IDF said were unclear, and another was injured.

ISF said that they destroyed multiple caches of explosives and weapons, including two under a mosque, as well as operation centers used by militant groups. Targeted sites included locations adjacent to UN facilities and a school. In addition, exchanges of fire took place near a hospital and other health facilities, with reports of ISF firing tear gas in or around the facilities. The only UNRWA health clinic inside the camp was damaged and remains closed.

In addition, on 3 and 21 July, two Palestinians – including one child – were killed by ISF in clashes following protests near Beit El checkpoint north of Ramallah and in the village of Umm Safa, respectively. Also in Umm Safa, on 7 July, a Palestinian was killed by ISF during clashes following a confrontation between Palestinians and Israeli settlers. On the same day, two armed Palestinians, whom ISF accused of having perpetrated a shooting attack, were killed in an ISF operation in Nablus. On 20 July, ISF killed a Palestinian man during an armed exchange in Nablus during a heavily secured visit by Israelis, including Israel’s Police Commissioner and settler leaders, to Joseph’s Tomb, in accordance with established procedures.

Palestinians carried out a number of attacks or alleged attacks against Israelis, including: a 4 July ramming and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv that injured eight Israeli civilians, including a pregnant woman; and a shooting attack near the Kedumim settlement on 6 July, in which an Israeli soldier was killed; an attack on 10 July near the settlement of Halamish in which a Palestinian man allegedly shot and threw an explosive device towards ISF; and on 21 July, an alleged ramming attack against Israeli soldiers in the village of Sebastiya. Four Palestinians were killed while carrying out such attacks.

In addition to the use of IEDs in Jenin, the period also witnessed Palestinians from the so-called al-Ayyash Brigades, for a second time in two weeks, attempting to launch rudimentary rockets from the Jenin area towards Israel or Israeli settlements on 10 July. Two rockets landed in open areas in Israel, with no damage or injuries reported.

Settler violence continued, albeit not at the scale witnessed in June. On the night of 3 July, Israeli settlers attacked Deir Dibwan village, near Ramallah; in subsequent confrontations, in the presence of ISF, Palestinians threw stones and settlers fired live ammunition, injuring one Palestinian. On 13 July, settlers assaulted Palestinian herders in Arab al-Kholi in the northern West Bank, injuring four elderly men, two in serious condition; at least one Israeli was injured.

Amid the escalating violence, Palestinian Security Forces (PSF) conducted a series of arrests across the occupied West Bank, including, on 17 July, of a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader in Bethlehem accused of forming armed groups and a senior Hamas official from Tubas on 20 July. Both were subsequently released. In a 17 July statement, a PIJ spokesperson noted that ten of its members had been arrested by PSF to date.

While the situation in Gaza remained relatively calm, militants fired five rockets from Gaza towards Israel, responding to the operation in Jenin, on the night of 4 July. All were intercepted by Israel’s aerial defense system, with shrapnel landing in the city of Sderot. In response, the Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes against what it said were Hamas targets in the Strip. On both sides, property damage but no injuries were reported. On 3 and 4 July, during demonstrations near the security fence east of Gaza City, six Palestinians were injured by ISF, two by live ammunition.

Madam President,

Eight Israeli civilians were placed by Israeli authorities under administrative detention for their involvement in the violent attacks against Palestinians in June; and, on 12 July, Israeli authorities indicted an Israeli civilian and an off-duty Israeli soldier, on charges that include carrying out acts of terrorism against Palestinian civilians during the attacks in June.

Madam President,

I reiterate that acts of terror and the targeting of civilians are unacceptable and must be condemned and rejected by all. All perpetrators of violence must be held accountable and swiftly brought to justice.

Israel has an obligation to protect Palestinians and their property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and ensure prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into all acts of violence.

As the Secretary-General has noted, security forces must exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when strictly unavoidable to protect life.

I am appalled that children continue to be the victims of violence and that militant factions have claimed some as members. Children must never be the targets of violence, used or put in harm’s way.

I also reiterate that the indiscriminate launching of rockets by Palestinian militants towards Israeli population centers is a violation of international humanitarian law and must cease immediately.

Madam President,

The humanitarian situation in the occupied West Bank remains concerning and the large ISF operation in Jenin Refugee Camp had a devastating humanitarian toll on the camp and its residents.

Over 460 houses were damaged, including 70 severely damaged or destroyed, and there was extensive damage to roads, as well as to water and sewage infrastructure. Around four kilometers of road were dug up by Israeli forces, which they said was to neutralize buried IEDs. Of the 3,500 residents who fled the violence, some 20 families remain internally displaced due to damage to their homes or lack of basic services.

Throughout the operation, access to the camp was limited by ISF to one entrance, initially hindering most ambulances from reaching casualties, and was fully restored on 5 July; though movement around the camp remains difficult due to the widespread damage and contamination by unexploded ordnance left by both sides.

Assessments by the UN and its humanitarian partners identified a number of priority needs, including: clearance of unexploded ordnance; restoration of water and sewage provision; food, rental and psychosocial assistance to the most affected families; restocking of medical supplies; and repair to schools and the UNRWA clinic.

The Palestinian Authority has committed to repairing the damages sustained in Jenin. Financial pledges have also been made by donors to help with the reconstruction, including USD30 million from Algeria to the Palestinian Authority and USD15 million from the United Arab Emirates through UNRWA.

Despite this generous response, severe funding shortages continue to curtail UN ability to provide support to Palestinians throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory. UNRWA faces a gap of some USD 200 million to maintain services from September onwards and USD 75 million to sustain the food pipeline in Gaza. In addition, the World Food Programme requires USD 41 million to continue providing assistance to the prioritized 350,000 Palestinians in need until the end of the year.

Madam President,

On 3 July, in response to the Israeli operation in Jenin, the Palestinian leadership adopted a number of decisions. These include freezing all contacts with Israel, including continuation of an announced suspension of security coordination, and stepping up Palestinian international efforts, including joining UN agencies and bodies and pursuing prosecution of Israel at the International Criminal Court. The leadership also called for a meeting of all Secretaries-General of Palestinian factions, scheduled for 30 July in Cairo.

On 12 July, President Mahmoud Abbas visited the Jenin refugee camp. He laid a wreath in memory of Palestinians killed and delivered remarks praising the camp as an “icon of struggle” and vowing that the Palestinian Authority would rebuild it.

Madam President,

On 9 July, Israel’s Security Cabinet voted to act to -- quote “prevent the collapse of the Palestinian Authority,” end of quote -- noting that the Prime Minister and Defense Minister would present the Cabinet with -- “steps to stabilize the civil situation in the Palestinian sector”.

Separately, Israeli authorities took some steps in recent weeks with a view to relieving pressure on the Palestinian Authority fiscal situation, including reducing the handling fee for fuel Israel transfers to the Palestinian Authority and expanding electronic payments to Palestinians working in Israel.

On 17 July, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke by phone with U.S. President Biden, and, between 18 and 21 July, Israeli President Herzog conducted an official visit to the United States. According to official readouts, the leaders discussed, inter alia, steps to restore calm in the West Bank, including through reconvening in the Aqaba-Sharm el Sheikh format, in addition to regional developments and proposed changes to the judiciary in Israel.

On 24 July, following months-long protests, the Israeli Knesset passed a law barring Israeli courts from reviewing the “reasonableness” of Government actions and appointments. The so-called “reasonableness standard” had been used by courts in the past to block or limit certain Government actions, including those related to policies in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Madam President,

As violence in the West Bank has surged, Israeli steps to expand settlements continued.

Israeli authorities demolished, seized or forced owners to demolish 44 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C and 12 in East Jerusalem, displacing 70 Palestinians, including 38 children. The demolitions were carried out due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain.

On 11 July, Israeli Security Forces evicted a Palestinian family from their home in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City and handed the property over to a settler organization, after a decades-long legal battle ended several months ago with the Supreme Court rejecting the family’s last appeal. Close to 1,000 Palestinians, including 424 children, face possible eviction in East Jerusalem.

On 10 July, 36 Palestinians, including 20 children, left their community of al-Baqaa, near Jerusalem, following the establishment of a settlement outpost in their community on 21 June and subsequent settler attacks.

Madam President,

Turning to the region, on the Golan, the ceasefire between Israel and Syria has been generally maintained despite continued violations of the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement of Forces by both parties. On 19 July, UNDOF observed the Israel Defense Forces fire at least 350 machine gun rounds, and on 24 July, five projectiles into the area of separation. UNDOF has continued to notice the presence of Syrian armed forces personnel also in the area of separation. UNDOF remains in contact with both sides to prevent any escalation of tensions.

As the Special Coordinator for Lebanon and USG Lacroix highlighted in their briefings to the Council on 20 July, tension along the Blue Line continued to be witnessed, in particular in the Shab'a Farms and Northern Ghajar related to the occupation of Northern Ghajar by Israel, and the construction works by the Israel Defense Forces in sensitive areas as well as the placement of a tent south of the Blue Line, claimed by Hezbollah. The United Nations reiterates the importance of all concerned parties exercising restraint and utilizing the liaison mechanisms of UNIFIL to de-escalate tensions.

Madam President,

I am deeply alarmed by the scale of violence and scope of destruction we have witnessed in recent weeks, particularly during the 3-4 July ISF operation and ensuing armed exchanges in Jenin, as well as the attacks this past month that have targeted Palestinian and Israeli civilians.

I reiterate the call on all parties to take concrete steps to deescalate tensions on the ground and ensure that all civilians are protected.

The UN remains engaged in extensive contacts with all parties, including regionally, to help lower tensions and prevent a renewed outbreak of violence.

As the Special Coordinator has emphasized, such steps must be integrated into a broader effort by all parties to restore a political horizon and address the underlying drivers of the conflict. The United Nations remains committed to helping Palestinians and Israelis resolve the conflict and end the occupation with the aim of achieving a two-State solution, in line with relevant United Nations resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements.

Thank you.

For several months, we have been urging and advising that the new diplomatic context surrounding the Syrian conflict could act as a circuit breaker – if there was substantive engagement. With substantive engagement, diplomacy could begin to see important issues addressed incrementally in a manner that would move us along the path envisaged in Security Council resolution 2254.

The past month, the violence and suffering experienced by the Syrian people have reminded us all of what is at stake as diplomatic efforts continue on Syria.

TOR WENNESLAND

SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS

BRIEFING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, REPORTING ON UNSCR 2334 (2016)

27 June 2023

[As delivered]

Madam President,

Members of the Security Council,

I am devoting my regular briefing on the situation in the Middle East to the twenty-sixth report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016). The Secretary-General’s written report that you have already received covers the period between 14 March and 14 June 2023.

Let me start by saying that the two weeks since the submission of the report have been terrible. Since the submission of the written report, we have seen an alarming spike in violence across the northern and central occupied West Bank, leading to numerous Palestinian and Israeli casualties. Military operations – including airstrikes in the West Bank – clashes, attacks and extremely high levels of settler-related violence have continued and intensified dramatically, alongside the use of more sophisticated weapons by Palestinians, including advanced improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rockets launched towards Israel.

Unless decisive steps are taken now to rein in the violence, there is a significant risk that events could deteriorate further.

The mounting violence is taking place against the backdrop of deeply worrying settlement-related developments that alter the already fragile dynamics on the ground, as well as a worrying deterioration in relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In that regard, I welcome today’s calls between Presidents Isaac Herzog and Mahmoud Abbas, and between Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and PLO Secretary-General Hussein al-Sheikh on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, in which, according to Israeli statements released to the media, Israel officials denounced recent settler attacks in the West Bank and recommitted to holding perpetrators accountable.

Madam President,

On 19 June, an Israeli military operation in the Jenin Refugee Camp, in Area A of the occupied West Bank, led to heavy armed exchanges. An Israeli security force (ISF) vehicle was struck by a Palestinian improvised explosive device, injuring eight ISF personnel; Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed responsibility for the attack. According to the IDF, military helicopters carried out airstrikes – the first in the West Bank since the second intifada – to facilitate the extraction of military personnel and disabled vehicles. Over the course of the day, seven Palestinians were killed by ISF, including two children, and 90 injured.

On 20 June, two Palestinians shot and killed four Israeli civilians, including two children, and injured four others at a gas station near Eli settlement, north of Ramallah. One of the perpetrators was shot and killed by an Israeli civilian at the scene, while the other was later killed by Israeli forces near Tubas. Hamas claimed the assailants as members and said the attack was a “natural response” to the ISF operation in Jenin.

From the night of 20 June through 25 June, Israeli settlers perpetrated 28 violent attacks against Palestinian villages across the northern and central occupied West Bank. In total, one Palestinian was killed and 54 others were injured – 37 by ISF and 16 by settlers and one undetermined – while four settlers or other Israeli civilians and one ISF personnel were injured by Palestinians. The attacks followed a similar pattern, with large numbers of settlers, many armed, in some cases in the presence of ISF, setting fire to dozens of houses and vehicles, as well as fields owned by Palestinians, followed by confrontations, in many cases leading to casualties. In some instances, ISF fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets at Palestinians.

On 20 June, in al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya, settler arson also targeted a gas station and three Palestinians, including a child, were injured.

On 21 June, over 300 Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Turmus’ayyeh, northwest of Ramallah. In the ensuing confrontations, one Palestinian was shot and killed by ISF, and eight others were injured by live ammunition.

The settler rampage continued that evening in Urif, south of Nablus, with hundreds of Israeli settlers again attacking Palestinians, their property and other structures, including a school and a mosque.

Over the following days, settlers attacked villages situated between Nablus and Ramallah, including Jalud, Sinjil, Deir Dibwan, Umm Safa, al-Mugayyir and, again, Turmus‘ayyeh.

To date, Israeli police have said that 11 Israelis have been detained, including two off-duty IDF personnel, in relation to the various attacks.

Amid these developments, on the night of 21 June, armed Palestinians fired towards al-Jalamah checkpoint, north of Jenin. An Israeli drone subsequently launched a missile at their vehicle, killing three Palestinians, one a child. The IDF said that the three were responsible for a number of shooting attacks in the West Bank. Two were later claimed as members by Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the third by Fatah’s Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

On 26 June, Palestinians from the so-called al-Ayyash Brigades attempted to launch two rockets from the Jenin area towards Israel. Both fell short in the occupied Palestinian Territory, with no damage or injuries reported.

Madam President,

Reactions by officials to the various incidents have varied, with some rejecting the violence and condemning vigilantism; others making deeply alarming, inflammatory statements.

On 24 June, the IDF Chief of Staff, the head of the Israeli Security Agency and the Israeli Police Commissioner issued a joint statement condemning the settler attacks, which they called “nationalist terrorism,” and vowing to take steps to combat them. These steps include increasing the presence of forces, stepping up arrests and widening the use of administrative detention against individuals participating in such attacks.

The previous day, an Israeli Minister and Cabinet member visited an illegal settlement outpost and called on settlers to “run to the hilltops” and establish additional outposts, illegal also under Israeli law. He also called for a widespread military campaign in the West Bank, urging ISF to “blow up buildings [and] assassinate terrorists. Not one, or two, but dozens, hundreds, or if needed, thousands.” The Minister’s call to establish unauthorized outposts was later repudiated by Prime Minister Netanyahu at a Cabinet meeting, where he said that “calls to grab land illegally and actions of grabbing land illegally, are unacceptable” and that Israeli authorities would act to stop them while promoting settlement expansion in approved locations.

Meanwhile, Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, celebrated the 20 June attack against Israeli civilians as an “act of heroism” and called for additional attacks.

Madam President,

Several concerning developments took place during the reporting period related to Israeli settlement expansion.

On 18 June, the Israeli Government approved significant amendments to Israeli settlement planning procedures that could expedite advancement of Israeli settlements plans. The amendments remove, inter alia, the requirement for the Minister of Defense to approve interim settlement planning stages, and to delegate the Minister’s authority in this regard to the Additional Minister in the Ministry of Defense-- currently Bezalel Smotrich.

In response to this decision, the Secretary-General of the PLO’s Executive Committee Hussein al-Sheikh announced in a Tweet that the Palestinian Authority would not participate in a long-awaited meeting of the Joint Economic Committee scheduled for 19 June. The meeting had been anticipated as an important opportunity for the parties to discuss urgent steps to improve their economic relationship and deliver on existing commitments.

Similarly, plans for a Ministerial meeting of the Negev Forum later this summer hosted by Morocco were also postponed.

On 26 June, the Israeli Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Committee reportedly advanced plans for over 5,500 housing units in Israeli settlements in Area C. Some 750 units near Eli were added to the agenda after the 20 June attack there and following an announcement by the Prime Minister’s Office that Israel’s "answer to terrorism is to strike at it forcefully and build up our country." Plans advanced reportedly include the retroactive regularization, under Israeli law, of three outposts adjacent to Eli.

Madam President,

Regarding other significant developments, on 16 June, UNRWA announced that it had "resumed its service delivery to Palestine Refugees in the West Bank, after nearly four months of disruption due to a work dispute with the West Bank Staff Union and a strike." UNRWA operations in the West Bank, including 42 health clinics and 90 schools for more than 40,000 children, have since fully resumed.

Madam President,

I will now turn to several observations regarding the implementation of the provisions of Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) during the reporting period.

I remain gravely concerned by the escalating spiral of violence we are witnessing in the occupied West Bank. I condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including all acts of terror, which exacerbate mistrust and undermine a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The violence must stop and all perpetrators must be held accountable.

I am particularly alarmed by the extreme levels of settler violence, including large numbers of settlers, many armed, systematically attacking Palestinian villages, terrorizing communities, sometimes in the proximity of Israeli security forces. Israel, as the occupying Power, has an obligation to protect Palestinians and their property in the occupied Palestinian territory and to ensure prompt, independent, impartial, and transparent investigations into all acts of violence.

I reiterate that security forces must exercise maximum restraint, apply proportional use of force and use lethal force only when it is strictly unavoidable in order to protect life, and conduct thorough, independent, impartial, and prompt investigations into all instances of possible excessive use of force.

Children in particular must never be the target of violence, used or put in harm’s way.

I strongly condemn inciteful, provocative statements from officials on both sides that further enflame the volatile situation on the ground.

Madam President,

I remain deeply troubled by the relentless expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, that fuels violence and is impeding access by Palestinians to their land and resources, reshaping the geography of the occupied West Bank and threatening the viability of a future Palestinian State. I note with alarm the recent Israeli Government decision which may expedite expansion in Area C.

Israeli settlements constitute a flagrant violation of United Nations resolutions and international law. I call on the Government of Israel to cease the advancement of all settlement activity immediately.

I call upon the Israeli Government to end the demolition of Palestinian-owned property and prevent the possible displacement and eviction of Palestinians, in line with its obligations under international humanitarian and international human rights law.

I urge Israel to approve plans that would enable Palestinian communities in Area C and East Jerusalem to build legally and address their development needs.

In closing, I underscore that the speed and intensity of the security deterioration we have witnessed on the ground are extremely dangerous. The unfolding events seriously challenge broader stability and undermine the Palestinian Authority.

While the ceasefire following the Gaza escalation in May has held, there is a constant risk that events in the West Bank could spill over to Gaza.

Likewise, the Palestinian Authority’s fiscal and institutional challenges, exacerbated by funding shortages – including for UN agencies – that impact the delivery of crucial basic services remain concerning and may further aggravate the deterioration on the ground. Let there be no doubt, neither the PA nor the UN will be able to provide humanitarian assistance without donors urgently stepping up financial support.

In recent days and weeks, the UN has remained in close contact with all parties to help restore a relative calm and change the current disastrous trajectory.

We must urgently act collectively to stop the violence. At the same time, it is crucial to bring the parties back onto a path that addresses the political issues driving the current dynamics, so that a process to resolve the core issues can begin.

The deepening occupation, settlement expansion, the high levels of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, and, critically, the absence of a political horizon are rapidly eroding hope among Palestinians and Israelis, and particularly among youth, that a resolution of the conflict is achievable.

I urge all leaders to put on the brakes and rethink the options.

The choice is clear: either continue along the downward spiral of violence and provocations leading to a political vacuum; or turn towards constructive dialogue linked to concrete actions that can create hope and a political horizon.

The UN remains committed to assisting these efforts, and to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict and end the occupation through the achievement of a two-State solution, in line with relevant United Nations resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements.

Thank you.

Last month, when I briefed you in New York, I said that new diplomatic activity in the region could be an opportunity, if seized. It could act as a circuit breaker in the search for a political solution in Syria – if there is constructive Syrian engagement, and indeed if key regional and international groups and players can work together