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UN chief proposes options to protect Palestinians
UNITED NATIONS, United States, Aug 18, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – UN Secretary-
General Antonio Guterres on Friday presented four options aimed at boosting
the protection of Palestinians in Israeli-occupied territories, from sending
UN rights monitors and unarmed observers to deploying a military or police
force under UN mandate.
The proposals were contained in a report requested by the General Assembly
in response to a surge of violence in Gaza, where 171 Palestinians have been
killed by Israeli fire since late March.
The UN chief stressed that for each of the options, cooperation by Israel
and the Palestinians would be necessary. It remained unlikely however that
Israel would agree to the proposals.
In the 14-page report, Guterres proposed:
– Providing a “more robust UN presence on the ground” with rights monitors
and political officers to report on the situation.
– Pouring in more UN humanitarian and development aid to “ensure the well-
being of the population.”
– Creating a civilian observer mission that would be present in sensitive
areas such as checkpoints and near Israeli settlements, with a mandate to
report on protection issues.
– Deploying an armed military or police force, under a UN mandate, to
provide physical protection to Palestinian civilians.
A UN mandate for a protection force would require a decision from the
Security Council, where the United States could use its veto power to block a
measure opposed by Israel.
A small European-staffed observer mission was deployed in the West Bank
city of Hebron in 1994, but Israel has since rejected calls for an
international presence in flashpoint areas.
In the report, Guterres said the United Nations was already undertaking
many protection initiatives but that “these measures fall short” of the
concerns raised in a General Assembly resolution adopted in June.
In that measure, the 193-nation assembly condemned Israel for Palestinian
deaths in Gaza and tasked Guterres with the drafting of proposals for “an
international protection mechanism” for the Palestinians.
– ‘Unacceptable’ targeting of civilians –
Guterres argued that a political solution to the conflict was needed to
address the safety of Palestinians but that “until such a solution is
achieved, member-states may further explore all practical and feasible
measures that will significantly improve the protection of the Palestinian
civilian population.”
“Such measures would also improve the security of Israeli civilians.”
On Friday, Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians taking part in
protests along the Gaza border and 270 other Palestinians were wounded.
Israel has defended its use of live ammunition in Gaza by invoking its
right to self-defense. One Israeli soldier was shot dead by a Palestinian
sniper in July.
“The targeting of civilians, particularly children, is unacceptable,”
Guterres said in the report, adding that “those responsible for violations of
international humanitarian law must be held accountable.”
UN efforts to ensure the well-being of Palestinians must strengthened, he
added, singling out the funding crisis at the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency
UNRWA as being “of particular concern.”
UNRWA is facing a major budget shortfall after President Donald Trump’s
administration decided to withhold its contribution to the agency.
The report released to all UN member-states comes amid a vacuum in Middle
East peace efforts as European and other big powers await a peace plan from
the Trump administration that has been under discussion for months.
UN diplomats have recently begun questioning whether the US peace plan
will ever materialize.
The United Nations has warned that a new war could explode in Gaza.
Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, including its Hamas rulers, have
fought three wars since 2008.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 0808 hrs