Statement by First Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy at UNSC briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question
Mme.President,
We thank Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland for a substantive briefing on the situation with the Middle East settlement in the context of implementing UNSC resolution 2334.
It was with great concern that we listened to Special Coordinator report on continuing stagnation of the settlement process in the Middle East with its central issue, the Palestinian problem, remaining unresolved. Unfortunately, violence in the area of Palestinian-Israeli confrontation does not abate. It causes casualties on both sides and threatens to evolve into a full-fledged armed escalation, which we already witnessed on numerous occasions.
The situation is further aggravated by Israel’s unilateral illegitimate action that is fraught with dangerous and turbulent consequences for the entire region. Among them – confiscation of Palestinian lands and forced eviction, demolition of property, illegal construction of settlements, attempts to change the historical status quo of the Holy Sites.
We are deeply concerned over Tel Aviv’s announced plans for expanding settlement activity in the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem. Continuation of settlement-building and the intention to double the number of Israelis living in the Jordan Valley, and in the Syrian Golan Heights by 2026 can be considered as de facto annexation of the major part of the occupied Palestinian territory. Against this backdrop, we see a steep increase of attacks by settlers, and also disproportionate use of force by Israeli military against Palestinians, which leads to deaths and injuries among civilians. A high-profile incident with eviction and demolition of a home in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Eastern Jerusalem in January this year was a telling example of such illicit activity.
In the current circumstances, we believe the primary task is to ensure lasting stabilization, reject provocations and unilateral steps that create irreversible facts on the ground, recover political prospects for revitalizing the peace process within internationally recognized parameters, including UNSC resolutions, Madrid principles, and Arab Peace Initiative. We disagree with those who think this framework is no longer relevant. The problem is not the framework itself (in any case, its modalities must be finalized during direct Palestinian-Israeli talks), but rather the factors that impede resumption of the negotiation process.
In this context, we are convinced that multilateral efforts, i.a. efforts of the international Quartet of intermediaries for the Middle East, need a boost in order to create conditions for soonest restart of Palestinian-Israeli dialogue. Besides, settlement process cannot progress unless Palestine recovers its unity on the PLO platform and unless elections are held.
We attach critical importance to rendering comprehensive humanitarian assistance to all those in need in the West Bank and Gaza, and also to Palestinian refugees in neighboring Arab states. We support efforts of specialized international mechanisms, first of all UNRWA, the activity of which has both humanitarian and political aspects, and thus promotes stabilization in the Palestinian territories and countries of the Middle East. In this connection, we draw attention to UNRWA’s appeals to the global community and calls to accumulate the much-needed funds so that the Agency can carry on with unimpeded humanitarian assistance to Palestinians this year.
We will keep making efforts to consolidate global consensus and coordinate joint action in the interests of finding a just solution to the Palestinian problem. We call on our colleagues in the Quartet to consider our proposed initiatives, including the proposal to hold a ministerial meeting and consultations of the extended format of the Quartet, where states of the region should participate. We count on the international community to support these initiatives.
Thank you.
