'Ceasefire is limited (...) drivers of conflict are still unresolved” - Security Council Briefing

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, told the Security Council that the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza remains in effect and “a fragile calm has been restored” in the territory. Addressing the Council on Thursday (25 Aug), Wennesland said that the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings have remained open since 8 August, allowing for the entry of essential goods and materials. The Special Coordinator said the ceasefire “prevented the situation from escalating into a full-scale war, which would have had devastating consequences.” According to Wennesland, the truce also allowed for the resumption of the measures implemented over the past year that have resulted in much needed economic relief to the people in Gaza. “But a ceasefire is limited to ending immediate hostilities. The underlying drivers of the conflict are still unresolved”, the Special Coordinator added. In the meantime, Wennesland said, violence has increased across much of the occupied West Bank, on top of Israeli settlement activity, fiscal and political challenges to the Palestinian Authority, political division in the West Bank and Gaza, economic and movement restrictions for Palestinians in Gaza, the nature of Hamas rule and the ever-present threat of violence. Given these challenges, the Special Coordinator said that “the status quo is not a strategy nor a strategic option – not for positive change on the ground nor for a restart of talks between the two sides.” “I urge the Israeli and Palestinian leadership, regional countries and the broader international community to take firm action to enable a return to meaningful negotiations”, Wennesland concluded.


For more information or to watch video on YouTube, click here!