Statement by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia at a UNSC on the Situation in the Middle East
Mr. President,
We are grateful to Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, for his briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
It has been over a month since Israel and Hamas reached agreement to cease hostilities. Over this short time, much more has been achieved than over two long years of war: all surviving hostages have been released, thousands of detained Palestinians have been freed, and conditions have been created for improving the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
At the same time, we have to admit that notwithstanding the agreements, it is premature to speak of a long-awaited peace. Both sides accuse each other of regular violations. Since October 10, over 300 Palestinians have been killed as a result of IDF strikes. In the last 24 hours, shelling has killed 33 people in Khan Yunis and Gaza City. This unjustifiable brutality was committed in retaliation for an alleged Hamas attack on Israeli positions in Khan Yunis, although the movement itself denies any involvement in this. The bodies of three hostages have not yet been returned. There still remain significant restrictions on the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid in the strip.
A distinctive feature of recent days in Gaza has been the “yellow line” dividing the enclave into territories controlled by Hamas and the IDF. The construction of barriers and fortifications on the Israeli-controlled side indicates that the occupation of the sector is long-term in nature. This poses daily risks for Gazans who find themselves on opposite sides of the barricades, which is similar to what happened to the residents of divided Berlin. Moreover, many sections of the “yellow line” are unmarked, and it is not uncommon for Palestinians to come under fire when crossing the line without even realizing that. We are also way alarmed by reports of the Israelis arbitrarily changing the “yellow lines” in some areas of Gaza City, breaching the ceasefire agreement.
Mr. President,
The instability on the ground – where it would be more appropriate to speak of a situation of “neither war nor peace” – is exacerbated by uncertainty regarding further steps to implement the peace agreements. When will the Palestinian Authority (PA) return to power in Gaza? When will Israel withdraw its troops from the strip? How will Hamas be disarmed? All these questions are directly interrelated. The lack of details in President Trump's plan on this issue was precisely what allowed the parties to reach agreement, whereas at this stage, without candid and concrete answers, peace efforts may get bogged down in endless mutual accusations of violations of the provisions of the agreement.
Unfortunately, UNSC resolution 2803 adopted a week ago did not provide clarity on this issue. The resolution sets out a fairly broad framework for the future Board of Peace, which is tasked with overseeing the reconstruction of Gaza, and provides the force mandate for the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which is to be deployed in coordination with Israel and Egypt. We are convinced that the effective operation of these structures depends on how closely they engage with the Palestinian side. It is also important to define as soon as possible a clear timeline for transfering authority in the enclave to the PA, as well as for the withdrawal of IDF units from the strip.
At the same time, we have not yet heard of any potential troop-contributing country willing to participate in military operations. Colleagues, what would motivate the militants to lay down their arms if there is no certainty that the future of Gaza is in the hands of the Palestinians themselves, rather than the occupying forces or some international bodies? In addition, reports of Israel sponsoring certain Palestinian armed groups to fight Hamas are disquieting. Such actions could have very dangerous consequences. History knows many such examples.
These doubts are further fueled by provocative rhetoric from Israeli top officials. For example, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir claimed that “there is no such thing as a Palestinian people,” and encouraged killings of senior PA officials, all these in no way contribute – and I’m putting it mildly – to a sustainable peace process. It is noteworthy that even the very cautious and vague wording on Palestinian self-determination in Security Council Resolution 2803 sparked a storm of indignation in Israeli political circles, which demanded that the prime minister unequivocally confirm the inadmissibility of creating a Palestinian state.
Overall, we observe a very dangerous trend whereby the parties to the conflict prefer to single out certain elements of the agreements that are advantageous to them, while turning a blind eye to their own obligations under these agreements. We call on both sides to approach the implementation of the agreement in good faith and make every effort to avoid a relapse into war.
Special responsibility for implementing the peace initiative lies with the United States and the countries that unequivocally supported the American resolution. Despite all its ambiguities, we did not block the document at the request of our Palestinian and Arab friends in order to give Washington an opportunity to try to make progress in resolving the long-standing Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The key to this is an impartial approach, where the interests and concerns of both sides are equally taken into account, regardless of alliances and criticism from radical forces.
It is extremely important that the peace plan approved by the Council on November 17 brings us back to the path of a two-state solution, which was approved by the majority of UN member states during two rounds of high-level conferences in New York. We will closely monitor the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803 while expecting clarifications from the US on the formation of the Board of Peace and the ISF, and we will oversee the compliance of these structures’ activities with the international legal framework on the Middle East and the interests of both Palestine and Israel.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia intends to continue playing a constructive role in achieving lasting peace in the Middle East, the cornerstone of which has always been and remains the two-State solution, which can satisfy both Israel's legitimate security concerns and the Palestinian people's just aspirations for their own State.
Thank you.
