Statement by Chargé d’Affaires of the Russian Federation Dmitry Polyanskiy at UN Security Council briefing on the Middle East
Mr. President,
We thank UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland for a comprehensive overview of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We are also grateful to Dr. Louise Baxter for her emotional and sobering account of the situation in Gaza.
It is painful, but we have to acknowledge that the Security Council, as the main UN body responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, for more than ten months has essentially remained a passive observer of the ongoing bloodbath in Gaza, which has already claimed more than 40,000 innocent civilian lives. As UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said, in the current Israeli operation, the world is witnessing an "unparalleled and unprecedented" level of civilian death and destruction, compared to any other conflict anywhere in the world during his mandate, and what is happening in Gaza is "total lawlessness." We are extremely disappointed that the Council has so far failed to unequivocally demand an immediate ceasefire and ensure that all parties to the conflict comply with that demand.
Two and a half months ago, Security Council members adopted resolution 2735 drafted by Washington. Our American colleagues assured us then that the fate of the "deal" between HAMAS and Israel on a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip were at stake. Now is the time to take stock of how this document has impacted the situation on the ground. We can answer this question unequivocally: it has had no impact at all. Our American colleagues asserted then that Israel consented to so-called President Biden's plan, which provided for an immediate ceasefire. However, the Israeli inhumane operation continues, and short breaks are in place only when Israel needs them. Over the course of 2.5 months, nearly 3,000 Palestinians have fallen victim to this operation. No one is currently even considering such issues as a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and efforts to restore the Strip's destroyed infrastructure. Moreover, Israel is essentially blocking the work of humanitarians creating all kind of obstacles for them. Accordingly, other SC humanitarian resolutions adopted since the beginning of the current escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation remain merely words on paper.
We still find it unacceptable that in June, Security Council members signed up for the obviously false statement in the American resolution that Israel had allegedly already agreed to the proposed comprehensive deal.
Even the official representative of Israel at the same meeting clearly hinted that the leadership of West Jerusalem has no intention of stopping its military operation in Gaza. The delegation of the Russian Federation at the time abstained in the vote on the American draft, which we do not a bit regret. It is noteworthy that, having forgotten their June trickery, our American colleagues are now trying to sell us another “pig in a poke”, reconfiguring the parameters of the deal being discussed in a way that would be suited to Israel. And today, the US representatives in this Chamber, without even bothering to explain to us what this reconfiguration is about, are once again calling on the members of the Security Council to exert pressure on HAMAS. According to the information we have, Israel now insists on maintaining the IDF military presence in Gaza, including their control over the crossing on the border with Egypt and the "Philadelphi Corridor". We do know that reformatting the parameters is something that certain countries of the region also vehemently object. And I would like to put a question to our American colleagues now: On whose behalf are you acting now, as you are trying to push through that deal, which is fundamentally different from the original one. The UNSC never blessed the deal formulated in this way. You are urging us to to exert pressure solely on the HAMAS leadership so that the movement gives in to yet another Israeli whim. But why do you consistently refuse to work with West Jerusalem, which is critically dependent on the weapons you supply? Is this something that honest and impartial mediators do?
As time has shown, all our doubts regarding the true purpose of the aforementioned American "product" proved to be substantiated, and the recent US-sponsored Security Council resolution served not only as a diplomatic cover for Israel's continued systematic cleansing of Gaza, but also as a "spoiler", due to which the Security Council is no longer attempting to agree on a document that would contain a firm and unequivocal demand for the parties to end hostilities. Moreover, due to Israel’s provocative actions over the past 2.5 months, the Middle East region has come even closer to the brink of global conflict. And the UNSC, through the efforts by the USA, is doing nothing to stop the Israeli ongoing massacre in Gaza.
Only a week ago, Council members discussed the tragedy at Tabin school, where an Israeli strike killed more than a hundred people and injured dozens more. As we warned at that time, the incident was not an unfortunate isolated case but, rather, a manifestation of a deliberate policy of the Israeli leadership. On 20 August, the Israeli Air Force attacked a school in Mustafa Hafez neighbourhood of Gaza city, killing at least 12 people. Prime Minister Netanyahu then responded to the international community's solidarity calls to stop the killing of Palestinian civilians by stating that he would not stop until HAMAS is completely destroyed. Had it not been for his American allies, the head of the Israeli government would not have displayed such disregard for the position of the overwhelming majority of UN members.
In addition, I would like to state that the provocative actions of the Israeli leadership in the occupied Palestinian territory are absolutely unacceptable, and I refer specifically to the August 13 visit of the Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The Israeli authorities should undertake effective measures to stop this vicious practice, which grossly violates the status quo of the Old City's holy sites.
Colleagues, how much longer are we going to remain idle, while American would-be mediators continue putting on a show and feeding us empty promises that their diplomatic efforts “on the ground” will bring speedy results? The reality is that for 10 months now, Washington has basically held the entire Council hostage, threatening to use their veto right and preventing us from taking tough and unambiguous decisions either on the Palestinian issue and a ceasefire in Gaza, or on advancing the Middle East peace process as a whole. This is all the more lamentable, since it is precisely the maniacal desire of the United States to “monopolize” the Middle East peace process and to reshape it according to “patterns” suited to Israel that led to the dramatic consequences that we are witnessing today.
It is also needless to say, that such a situation undermines the credibility of the UN Security Council, which since last October has been unable to pass any effective decisions, which are needed not only for a just settlement of the Palestinian issue in line with our relevant resolutions, but also for preventing a region-wide war in the Middle East. If Resolution 2735 is not being implemented, let's pass a new document, which would send an unequivocal message to the "spoilers" that they will definitely bear the consequences of what they are doing. And let us provide our resolution with a toolbox that would help stop violence, regardless of the whims of any party to the conflict. It is also of critical importance that Washington finally ceases its multi-billion dollar military assistance to Israel, which is being used to annihilate Palestinian civilians. How many more victims are needed for the Council to act in line with its mandate and stop following blindly the lead of the United States and Israel? 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed. Is that not enough for us to pass the right decision? We formulate the question this way so that all our colleagues realize their historical responsibility. We are willing to cooperate with all who share this position.
Thank you for your attention.
