UN Mideast envoy voices concern over surge of violence

United Nations, Feb 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland has voiced concern over a surge of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.

"We are witnessing a surge in violence, including some of the deadliest incidents in nearly 20 years," he told the Security Council in a briefing on Monday.

"I am concerned that developments on the ground are continuing their negative trajectory, gaining in both pace and intensity. At the same time, unilateral actions are moving the parties still further apart, exacerbating tensions and driving the conflict."

Immediate efforts are required to reduce tensions. But restoring calm is not, on its own, a recipe for progress, he cautioned.

The UN, along with regional and international partners, have engaged intensively with all parties to de-escalate the situation, said Wennesland through a video link from Jerusalem, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I call upon the parties to match security efforts with political steps that can halt the negative slide and restore hope for an end to conflict and prospects for a viable two-state solution."

There has been an alarming number of fatalities since his last briefing to the Security Council on January 18, said the UN envoy.

Forty Palestinians, including one woman and seven children, have been killed in the occupied West Bank. In the same period, 10 Israelis, including one woman, three children and one security personnel, as well as one female foreign national have been killed, he noted.

A significant number of Palestinian casualties have occurred in the context of Israeli security forces' search-and-arrest operations and clashes with armed Palestinians, including in Area A of the occupied West Bank, which is under the full civil and security control by the Palestinian Authority, said Wennesland.

The relative calm of the past few months in Gaza was interrupted by exchanges of fire in the past month, once again demonstrating the fragility of the cease-fire, he added.

Palestinian militants in Gaza fired rockets from the strip toward Israel on six occasions. A total of 11 rockets were fired, with five intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome system, while two landed in open areas, and one fell short in Gaza. In retaliation, Israeli security forces carried out airstrikes on 14 occasions against what it said were Hamas militant targets in Gaza, causing damage, he said.

"I reiterate that the indiscriminate launching of rockets toward Israeli population centres violates international law and must stop immediately."

Perpetrators of all acts of violence must be held accountable and swiftly brought to justice. Security forces must exercise maximum restraint and use lethal force only when strictly unavoidable to protect life. Children must never be the targets of violence, used, or put in harm's way, he said.

Source: IANS