New York (Union)
The United Arab Emirates called on the Palestinians and Israelis to refrain from escalatory rhetoric and stop incitement to hatred and violence, stressing the importance of maintaining calm, stopping unilateral measures, and working to build confidence with the start of the holy month of Ramadan.
In a statement delivered by Ambassador Mohammed Abu Shehab, the country’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations before the UN Security Council yesterday, the UAE expressed its hope that the Sharm el-Sheikh conference, which was held last Sunday, would contribute to constructive communication between the Palestinian and Israeli parties, stressing that the meeting comes at a critical time that needs to reduce The dangerous escalation in the occupied Palestinian territory, pointing out that the past year was the most violent in two decades.
He said, “Achieving an actual calm on the ground requires adherence to the Sharm el-Sheikh statement and the full implementation of its provisions, especially in terms of ending unilateral steps, before the situation gets out of control.”
The statement praised the intensified efforts of Jordan, Egypt and America to build confidence between the parties and resolve tensions.
The statement said: “These steps are important with the start of the holy month of Ramadan and its coincidence with sacred occasions for the Jewish and Christian religions, a period that usually witnesses – even without the current unrest – acute tensions that must and can be avoided. Which also increases the importance of maintaining the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, especially in light of the recent exchange of skirmishes.
He added: «This cycle of violence is not a spur of the moment, but rather the result of a series of illegal practices and the sufficiency of trying to manage the conflict instead of resolving it. Therefore, the responsibility of the international community requires that we reject the normalization of the current escalation, and that we send a clear message stating the need to fully implement the relevant Security Council resolutions, and create an environment that allows the relaunch of a serious and credible peace process.
The statement stressed the need for Israel to back down from ratifying a law allowing the return of settlers to 4 settlements in the northern occupied West Bank, stressing the importance of adhering to what was stated in the recent agreement in terms of “Israel not discussing any new settlement units for a period of 4 months, and stopping issuing licenses for any outposts.” for a period of 6 months,” with an emphasis on the need for a complete cessation of settlement activities, which constitute a flagrant violation of international law and the decisions of this Council.
The statement also called on Israel to immediately stop settler violence and hold its perpetrators accountable in order to deter these escalating attacks, which have tripled since the beginning of this year than they were two years ago.
The statement said: “Matters reached a climax when the settlers launched heinous attacks on the village of Huwwara in Nablus, which caused enormous damage. The UAE, as part of its humanitarian efforts to support the brotherly Palestinian people, has announced the provision of $3 million for the reconstruction of the village.
He stressed the need for Israel to assume its responsibilities in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law, and to stop its repeated incursions into Palestinian cities and villages, including Jenin and Nablus, which resulted in many deaths and injuries, whose numbers have risen sharply since the beginning of this year.
He added, “There must be an end to the demolitions of Palestinian property, which increased by 68% compared to the same period last year, and have serious repercussions, most notably the forced displacement of the population, especially in East Jerusalem.”
He stressed the need to preserve the existing legal and historical status of the city of Jerusalem and its sanctities, and to respect the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in East Jerusalem.
He also called on all parties to refrain from escalatory rhetoric and stop incitement to hatred and violence, stressing the UAE’s rejection of all practices that contradict human values and principles. The statement also condemned the inflammatory statements, including those of the Israeli Minister of Finance, who called for the erasure of the village of Hawara, and denied the history and existence of the Palestinian people. It also condemned its use of a map of Israel that includes lands from Jordan and Palestine.
At the end of the statement, the UAE affirmed its continued support for the two-state solution, so that an independent Palestinian state would be established on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel, in peace, security and mutual recognition.
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