“The violent trends that dominated the final months of 2022 continue to take a devastating human tollsaid Tor Wennesland, special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.
Citing rising political tensions and the long-stalled peace process, he said preventing more casualties must go hand-in-hand with the international community’s ultimate goal — ending the Israeli occupation, ending the conflict and realizing a lasting one Two State Solution.
Deadly clashes
Mr Wennesland briefed the Council on the aftermath of one of the deadliest years in the history of the conflict.
He reported this on December 19 more than 150 Palestinians and over 20 Israelis had been killed in the West Bank and Israel up to this point last year.
In his briefing this week, he said that during the last reporting period from December 8th to January 13th another 14 Palestinians were killedincluding a 16-year-old boy who was shot dead during an arrest operation at Balata refugee camp in Nablus.
Another 117 Palestinians were injured by Israeli security forces.
According to Israeli sources, five Israeli civilians and four security forces were injured by Palestinians in attacks, clashes, throwing of stones and Molotov cocktails, and other incidents.
‘Collision Course’
“Israelis and Palestinians stay on a collision course amid escalating political and inflammatory rhetoric and heightened violence in the West Bank – both with potentially grave consequences,” the Special Coordinator warned.
Ongoing Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories are also stoking tensions.
On January 2, the Israeli government notified the High Court of Justice of this intends to legalize Homesh outpost under Israeli law – which will be built on private Palestinian land.
Emphasizes that All of these settlements are illegal under international law and remain a significant obstacle to peace, the Special Coordinator informed the Council that Israeli demolitions and confiscations of Palestinian property continued during the reporting period.
Tor Wennesland (on screen), Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, addresses members of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
Provocative visit
Several other recent developments have led to rising tensions between the parties.
On January 3, Israel’s new Minister of National Security, far-right party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, Visited the hilltop terrain in Jerusalem’s Old City – sacred to both Jews and Muslims – reportedly accompanied by a heavy security detail.
Widely seen as a provocative act, the occasion marked the first time an Israeli minister had visited the site since 2017.
This step was sharply condemned the Palestinian Authority and many states across the region, prompting the Security Council to hold its first emergency meeting from 2023.
In addition, on December 30, 2022, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution with a request to the headquarters in The Hague International Court of Justice for a Opinion on the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory.
Praised by many countries and UN agenciesthe text was also heavily criticized by Israeli officials.
Against this diverse background, Mr Wennesland called for bold leadership and strong council unity, as well as urgent efforts to prevent spoilers and extremists from “pouring.”[ing] more fuel to the fire”.
