Palestinians "Cannot be Held Hostage to Political Grandstanding" - UN Envoy briefs Security Council

Briefing by H.E. Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority (UNSCOM), on the situation in the Middle East (including the Palestinian question) [via teleconference].
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said two million Palestinians in Gaza “cannot be held hostage to political grandstanding and brinkmanship” adding that the fragility of the situation there underscored the “urgency to fundamentally change the dynamics on the ground.”
Addressing the Security Council via teleconference from Jerusalem today (19 Nov), Mladenov said the recent escalation risked unleashing a conflict with catastrophic consequences for people in Gaza. He said the escalation was triggered by an Israeli military operation in the strip, which led to the death of an Israeli officer, a local Hamas commander, and six other Palestinians. Militants in Gaza launched some 450 rockets and mortars at Israel in the following two days, and Israel responded with airstrikes on 160 militant targets, including a Hamas-affiliated TV station and a hotel.
The Special Coordinator said the latest outbreak of violence came as the UN and its partners were intensifying efforts to alleviate Gaza’s deepening humanitarian and economic crises. He said these efforts have had an immediate positive impact but warned that the improvements are temporary.
“Hamas and militant groups must stop all provocations and attacks, Israel must significantly improve the movement and access of goods and people to and from Gaza as a step toward lifting of the closures, in line with UN Security Council resolution 1860; and the Palestinian Authority must strengthen its engagement in Gaza, which is an integral part of the Palestinian territory.”
Mladenov turned to Israeli settlement activity which he said was “eating away at the viability of a contiguous future Palestinian state.” He reiterated that “all settlement activities are illegal under international law, an obstacle to peace and must immediately cease.” He said Israeli authorities advanced plans for a total of 264 housing units in East Jerusalem and demolished 31 Palestinian-owned structures.
Mladenov stressed the importance of intra-Palestinian reconciliation adding that the international community must do all it can to support Egyptian-led efforts in this regard. He said, “We cannot stand idle and allow the division between the West Bank and Gaza to be further entrenched. The Palestinian people are demanding that their leadership finally re-unites Gaza and the West Bank and advance their goal of peacefully ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a viable Palestinian state based on relevant UN resolutions. This is what people desire, and this is what they deserve.”
The Special Coordinator also spoke on the Government formation process in Lebanon where “political actors have yet to find agreement on a national unity government.” He said, “The delay hampers Lebanon’s ability to address issues essential to its stability, including the economy. We again encourage all stakeholders to put the national interest first and expeditiously reach an agreement that preserves Lebanon’s stability and ability to deliver on its international commitments.”