Israeli-Palestinian peace moves at deep and worrying impasse

United Nations, New York, 24 November 2009 - The Security Council is today holding its periodic meeting followed by consultations on the Middle East.
Briefing Council members this morning, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios said the UN has not yet received a satisfactory response from Israel to the proposal, put forward in May, to complete stalled UN projects in Gaza -- in the area of housing and school and health facilities.
He said it is completely unacceptable that no meaningful progress has been made in kick-starting UN civilian construction activities in Gaza, which are essential for the well-being and recovery of a war- and blockade-affected population, half of whom are children.
Menkerios added that, without a credible political horizon in the Middle East, forces of violence, tension and extremism on both sides will fill the vacuum. He said that we now face a very real danger of such a vacuum, with no Israeli-Palestinian negotiations underway, no agreed terms of reference for such negotiations, and no framework in place to ensure implementation of Road Map obligations.
Menkerios said the decision of President Abbas not to seek a new term as Palestinian President reflects a worrying assessment, from a leader unquestionably devoted to peace, that the political process lacks sufficient content and credibility at this time. He added that, if we cannot move decisively forward to a final status agreement, we risk sliding backwards, with both the Palestinian Authority and the two-State solution imperiled.

For more information:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33059&Cr=palestin&Cr1=

For press release
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sc9796.doc.htm

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• United Nations
• UN
• Security Council
• Middle East
• Haile Menkerios
• Israel
• Palestine

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