UN Special Coordinator Pernille Kardel and Adyan Foundation Chairman Rev. Fadi Daou
On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, acting UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Ms....
Madame President,
Members of the Security Council,
On behalf of the Secretary-General, I will devote this briefing to presenting the seventh report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 covering the period from 13 June to 12 September this year.
I will focus on developments on the ground in accordance with the provisions of the resolution, including on regional and international efforts to advance peace.
Let me reiterate from the very beginning that these developments cannot be divorced from the broader context: Israel’s continued military occupation of Palestinian territory; uncertainties about the future of the peace process and the two-state solution; Hamas’ continuing hold on Gaza, its militant activity, including rocket attacks and tunnel construction; unilateral actions that undermine peace efforts; reduced donor support for the Palestinian Authority; and turmoil in the wider region.
I would like to highlight from the outset the very serious financial situation UNRWA continues to face. We welcome the contributions several member states recently announced and urge additional new funding be provided for its critical work. On September 27, a Ministerial Meeting in support of UNRWA will be held on the margins of the General Assembly, I urge all participants to engage constructively and ensure the continuity of the Agency’s vital services.
Madame President,
No steps have been taken during the reporting period to “cease all settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem”, as required by the resolution.
I reiterate that all settlement activities are a violation of international law and a major obstacle to peace.
Some 2,800 housing units in settlements in Area C of the occupied West Bank were advanced, approved or tendered by Israel. Approximately one third of those units are in outlying settlements deep in the West Bank. Plans for some 1,100 units were advanced in the approval process, plans for an additional 600 units reached the final approval stage, and tenders were announced for about 1,100 units. A tender was also announced for 603 housing units in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood, the first tender in East Jerusalem since 2016.
On August 28th, the District Court in Jerusalem ruled that the illegal outpost of Mizpe Kramim can be legalized under Israeli law, despite being built partially on private Palestinian land. The ruling was the first to rely on the so-called “market regulation” principle, which would allow houses built “in good faith” on private land without the consent of the owner to be retroactively legalized and the owner compensated. If the ruling were to be upheld in Israel’s High Court of Justice, it would enable the legalization of additional outposts and housing units in settlements.
Madame President,
Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures by Israeli authorities continued across the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Citing the absence of Israeli issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain, 117 structures were demolished or siezed, 61 in Area C and 56 in East Jerusalem. According to OCHA, this resulted in the displacement of 145 Palestinians, including 82 children, and affected the livelihoods of some 950 people.
In Khan al-Ahmar/Abu al-Helu, a Bedouin community of 181 people, Israeli authorities requisitioned land, levelled access routes and temporarily declared the area a closed military zone, in advance of the expected demolition of its structures. Following a protracted legal process, on the 5th of September the High Court of Justice denied several petitions by residents to prevent the demolition.
On 4 July, in Abu Nuwar, a Bedouin community of around 600 residents, 19 structures were demolished. OCHA reported that 51 people, including 33 children, were displaced. Later that month a donor-funded caravan in the Bedouin community of Jabal al-Baba, serving as a kindergarten for 28 children and as a women’s center, was also confiscated and dismantled.
These communities are located in or next to an area that is slated for settlement plans in the E1 area, which, if constructed, would create a continuous built-up area between the Ma’ale Adummim and East Jerusalem.
In July, the Israeli Knesset approved a law transferring the jurisdiction over certain petitions against decisions by Israeli authorities in the West Bank from the High Court of Justice to the Administrative Affairs Court in Jerusalem. This step could make it more difficult and costly to challenge the demolition or seizure of Palestinian properties in Area C.
On 11 September, the European Union High Representative / Vice-President, Federica Mogherini, called on Israeli authorities to reconsider the decision to allow the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar, warning that it “would have grave humanitarian consequences” and contravene international humanitarian law. This call was reiterated by Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. I also issued a statement expressing the same concern over such action. On the 13th of September, the European Parliament also called for monetary compensation for financial losses, should Khan al-Ahmar be demolished.
Madame President,
Members of the Security Council,
Let me turn now to the issue of violence, which remains an obstacle to peace. The reporting period saw significant incidents and escalation that brought Israel and Hamas almost to war on at least three occasions.
Palestinian protests at the Gaza fence continued on almost a daily basis. While on most occasions remained fairly peaceful, militants placed improvised explosive devices, attempted to breach the fence and continued to send incendiary kites and balloons across the border. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded with riot dispersal means and live fire. During protests throughout the reporting period, 29 Palestinians were killed or died of wounds sustained previously, including 10 children. Some 900 people were injured by live ammunition. one Israeli soldier was killed and another injured.
In successive rounds of hostilities, Hamas and other Palestinian militants fired some 500 rockets, Grad missiles and mortars from Gaza towards Israel. In response, the IDF fired some 400 missiles and tank shells at targrets inside Gaza. It destroyed three tunnels leading from Gaza into Israel. 18 Palestinians were killed, including 5 children, 118 injured, and 37 Israelis were injured in these exchanges.
On at least three occasions the situation escalated dramatically. Calm was only restored only after Egypt and the United Nations intervened to de-escalate tensions.
Incendiary kites and balloons continued to be launched from Gaza into neighbouring Israeli communities.
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, 266 Palestinians, including 5 women and 54 children, were injured in clashes with Israeli security forces during search and arrest operations and demonstrations.
On 23 July, a 15-year-old Palestinian was killed during clashes in Bethlehem’s al-Duheisha refugee camp. Three days later, in the settlement of Adam, a 17-year-old Palestinian repeatedly stabbed and killed an Israeli man and injured two others. On 17 August and 3 September, the ISF shot dead an Israeli Arab and a Palestinian in Jerusalem’s Old City and in Hebron, respectively, after they reportedly attempted to carry out stabbing attacks against the ISF.
On 27 July, clashes erupted at the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif between Palestinians and Israeli security where ten Palestinians and four Israeli police officers were injured.
On 16 September, in another attack a Palestinian teenager stabbed and killed an Israeli-American outside of a shopping mall in the West Bank. It is reprehensible that Hamas and other Palestinian factions chose to glorify this attack.
Madame President,
Despite the call in Security Council resolution 2334 for the parties to refrain from acts of provocation, incitement, and inflammatory rhetoric, such statements continued.
Hamas leaders continued to incite violence, with one senior official speaking of “cleansing Palestine of the filth of Jews,” and threatening to decapitate Israeli leaders. Fatah’s official social media pages continued to glorify perpetrators of previous attacks against Israelis and failed to condemn terror attacks against civilians. Some religious leaders and officials made inflammatory statements, accusing Israel of plotting to destroy the al-Aqsa Mosque and denying Jewish historic and religious connection to Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, some Israeli officials called for the targeting of Palestinians launching incendiary kites and balloons into Israel from Gaza and the extrajudicial killings of Hamas officials. One Member of the Knesset called for Israel to reconquer Gaza and insisted that Palestinians in Gaza either acquiesce to Israel’s sovereignty or emigrate. Others continued to provoke by rejecting the Palestinian right to statehood, supporting settlement growth and annexation of parts of the West Bank.
Resolution 2334 (2016) reiterated calls by the Middle East Quartet for “affirmative steps to be taken immediately to reverse negative trends on the ground that are imperiling the two-State solution.”
Some positive steps were taken, including Israel releasing some USD 44 million of withheld Palestinian health stamp revenues. This is the result from continuing direct engagement of the finance ministers of both sides, as well as continued progress on reconstruction in Gaza.
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt remained largely open during the reporting period with the number of people crossing reaching over 12,000 in both June and July.
Madame President,
The negative developments however outweigh the positive news.
Most worrying perhaps is the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian, security and political situation in Gaza, as the implementation of the Egyptian brokered October (2017) agreement remains stalled and the Palestinian Authority has not taken up its responsibilities in Gaza.
As we meet today, the power crisis in Gaza is coming to a head. The United Nations has run out of funding for emergency fuel. This puts critical health, water and sanitation facilities at immediate risk of shutting down while essential medicines are at critically low levels, with almost half of essential medicines at less than one-month’s supply and 40 per cent completely depleted. On 5 September, the United Nations delivered the final stocks of available emergency fuel. Despite calls for donors to urgently contribute, little additional funding has been forthcoming.
The situation was worsened by the temporary closures of the Kerem Shalom crossing and reductions in the fishing zone that were introduced by Israel during the periods of escalation, as well as the continuing measures by the Palestinian Authority to reduce salaries, energy supply and overall spending in Gaza.The UN Humanitarian Coordinator has released 1 million USD from the emergency pooled fund to cover fuel for hospitals and water and sanitation facilities to prevent a collapse of essential services.
To address the chronic crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory, the humanitarian community appealed for nearly USD 540 million this year, through the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), 75 per cent of which is for projects targeting Palestinians in Gaza. At present, Madam President, the appeal is less than 29 per cent funded, one of the most poorly funded in the world.
Madame President,
Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) called on Member States “to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied in 1967.” No such steps were taken during the reporting period.
The resolution also called upon “all parties to continue, inter alia, to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations”. No progress was achieved in this respect.
The United States has repeatedly announced that it is continuing its efforts aimed at a comprehensive peace plan. In August, the administration suspended more than USD 200 million in fiscal year 2017 Economic Support Funds for the West Bank and Gaza and a further USD 25 million, for the East Jerusalem hospitals network. On September 10th, it closed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Office in Washington citing its failure to take steps towards meaningful negotiations with Israel and concerns with Palestinian attempts to prompt an investigation of Israel by the International Criminal Court.
The Palestinian Central Council convened in August and ratified the continued severance of political relations with the United States, until the latter revisits its decisions regarding Jerusalem, Palestine refugees and settlements.
On the 5th of September, the Government of Paraguay announced that it would reverse the previous decision from May 2018 to relocate its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and move it back to Tel Aviv.
Since the escalation of hostilities in Gaza in July, the United Nations has led unprecedented efforts, with the Governments of Egypt, Israel and other international partners, to prevent another outbreak of hostilities, respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs, and support the return of the legitimate Palestinian government to Gaza, a crucial element in any political effort to resolve the wider conflict.
The United Nations has enhanced its capacity in Gaza to work with the Palestinian Government and Israeli counterparts to support donor implementation on all issues related to the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism and provide accountable and transparent reporting to donors.
The World Bank has increased its allocation from USD 55 million to USD 90 million for the West Bank and Gaza over the next year, part of which will be used to create some 4,400 short-term employment opportunities. UNDP has also accelerated its emergency economic assistance programme with support from several donors.
Madame President,
In closing, I would like to share some broad observations concerning the implementation of the provisions of resolution 2334 during the reporting period.
Madam President,
Members of the Security Council,
Twenty-five years have now passed since the signing of the Oslo Accords. It was a historic moment that captured the world’s attention and filled Palestinians, Israelis and the region with hope that a genuine peace could be realized. Sadly, that courageous vision of a lasting peace now lies in tatters.
We must restore hope – that there is an alternative to this perpetual cycles of violence. We must overcome the current impasse and refocus our efforts on ultimately returning to meaningful negotiations to end the occupation and bring a just, lasting and comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A resolution based on two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Jerusalem as the capital of both States, based on the 1967 lines and in line with relevant United Nations resolutions and previous agreements.
I urge all sides to continue to engage with each other and with the international community to preserve and advance its achievement.
Madam President,
Members of the Security Council,
Finally, I want to underline today that the urgency of the situation we face on the ground is really desperate. Gaza can explode any minute. We have a humanitarian responsibility to react but we must also understand that it cannot be solved only on the basis of humanitarian action. It must be solved with a political perspective to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and we have a responsibility to recreate it and to support the parties in this prospect.
Thank you.
Madam President, Members of the Security Council,
There have been several positive developments related to the nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea over recent months.
On 20 April, the DPRK announced an immediate halt to nuclear explosive testing and flight tests of certain longer-range ballistic missiles.
On 24 May, the DPRK reportedly dismantled its Punggye-ri nuclear test site. The DPRK also reportedly dismantled missile-related infrastructure at the Iha-Ri missile test stand in May and the Sohae Satellite Launching Site in July. International experts, however, were not invited to witness any of these activities.
In the meantime, there continue to be signs the DPRK is maintaining and developing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. The International Atomic Energy Agency – remains unable to access the DPRK and verify the correctness and completeness of the DPRK’s declarations under its safeguards agreement. The Agency continues to monitor developments through commercially available satellite imagery where possible. In his regular report to the IAEA Board of Governors and General Conference submitted on 20 August, the IAEA Director General reported that the Agency had observed signatures consistent with the continued operation of the plutonium production reactor, radiochemical laboratory and alleged uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon.
Madam President,
The Secretary-General has welcomed the commitment made by Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK on 5 September to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
It is hoped that the positive developments, together with the important summits between the leaders of the DPRK and the Republic of Korea and between the DPRK and the United States, respectively, will contribute to an atmosphere conducive to advancing sustainable peace and complete and verifiable denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions.
Security Council unity helped create the opportunity to engage diplomatically. A year ago, the Korean Peninsula was the most tense and dangerous peace and security issue in the world. Today, progress has been made on building trust, reducing military tensions, and opening or re-opening channels of communications. A foundation has been established to make tangible progress on the core issues.
We encourage all Member States to support the parties in their diplomatic efforts, and to ensure the full implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions.
Madam President,
I have been asked to brief today on the “United Nations Command” which is also referred to as the “Unified Command”.
Security Council resolution 84 of 7 July 1950 recommended that all Member States providing military forces and other assistance to the Republic of Korea should QUOTE - “make such forces and other assistance available to a unified command under the United States of America” - END QUOTE and requested the United States to designate the commander of such forces. The same resolution also authorised the unified command at its discretion to use the United Nations flag in the course of its operations concurrently with the flags of the various nations participating.
In its first report to the Security Council on the operation of the Command, the United States informed the Security Council that on 25 July 1950 the Unified Command was established and the Security Council first used the name “United Nations Command” in resolution 88 of 8 November 1950. Notwithstanding its name, the “United Nations Command” is not a United Nations operation or body, nor does it come under the command and control of the United Nations. Furthermore, it was not established as a subsidiary organ of the Security Council and is not funded through the United Nations budget.
As such, there are no reporting lines between the “United Nations Command” and the United Nations Secretariat.
Madam President,
The Secretary-General, during the upcoming high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly, will discuss how he and the United Nations system can further support the parties and how steps can be advanced towards sustainable peace, security, and complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, in accordance with Security Council resolutions. He hopes that the inter-Korean summit starting in a few hours, as well as the planned summit between the leaders of the United States and the DPRK, will further contribute to this process. Thank you.
Sana’a, 16 September 2018: The United Nations is working to open a humanitarian medical air bridge for Yemeni civilians who are suffering from conditions which cannot be treated inside Yemen.
“The aim is to help patients suffering from cancer, chronic diseases and congenital anomalies receive the treatment they need,” said Dr. Nevio Zagaria, the Representative of the World Health Organization in Yemen. “Twelve conditions have been agreed. It’s so important that people...
Amman, 11 September 2018
Madam President,
Thank you very much, Madam President and Let me first express my sympathies to you Madam President, your government and your people on this tragic day that we have all mourned for so long.
Madam President,
When I called for the Intra-Yemeni Consultations in Geneva, I never expected it to be an easy mission. The parties have not met for more than two years. The war has been escalating virtually on all fronts...
The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) is fully committed to implementing the policy of “zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA)”. This policy is enshrined in the Secretary-General’s system-wide strategy to combat sexual exploitation and abuse, which he launched in his report on “Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse: a new approach”, dated 28 February 2017.
SEA includes any sexual activity with minors or any actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions; any actual or attempted abuse of position of vulnerability, differential power or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. This includes acts of transactional sex, solicitation of transactional sex, and exploitative relationships. In addition, military and police personnel in most of our missions have non-fraternization policies making relations with beneficiaries of assistance a breach of the standards of conduct.
The strategy has four main areas of action: 1) putting victims first; 2) ending impunity; 3) engaging civil society and external partners; and 4) improving strategic communications for education and transparency. In coordination with other departments and under the lead of the Special Coordinator on improving the United Nations response to sexual exploitation and abuse, DPPA is contributing to the development of tools and mechanisms aiming at enhancing system’s capacity to tackle the SEA scourge. For more details on SEA prevention, role of the Special Coordinator, the Victim Rights Advocate as well as Special Political Missions and Peacekeeping Operations and Agencies, Funds and Programmes could be found at: https://www.un.org/preventing-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse
Based on the departmental action plan, DPPA works closely with the office of the Special Coordinator, DMSPC, the Victim Rights Advocate as well as other organizations of the UN System for ensuring a coherent approach across the system for the full implementation of the activities detailed in the areas of action.
The infographic below describes how allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving UN personnel are addressed and managed:
In the case of Special Political Missions, when information about allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse is received, it is assessed by the respective Heads of Missions, by DOS/DPPA and/or by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS). In a continuous manner, reconciliation of the information received by the various entities takes place, which aims to confirm whether information received refers to new allegations.
Record keeping and data tracking of allegations of misconduct commenced in 2006. By July 2008, DFS launched the Misconduct Tracking System (MTS) which is a global, restricted-access database and confidential tracking system for all allegations of misconduct. The MTS is managed by the Conduct and Discipline Unit (CDU) in DFS and it facilitates case management and information sharing between field missions and CDU.
Updates to the data on allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse are made once reconciliation and assessment of information has been completed, or when information has been received on the outcome of investigations or actions taken in response to substantiated allegations.
In order to receive notifications when a new case has been added to the database, you are encouraged to subscribe through the following link: https://conduct.unmissions.org/subscribe
To access the Report of the Secretary-General on Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse: a new approach: https://undocs.org/A/71/818
To report wrongdoing and misconduct: https://oios.un.org/page?slug=reporting-wrongdoinghttps://conduct.unmissions.org/report-misconduct
Geneva 08 September 2018 - Thank you very much and thank you all for coming. I can imagine it’s been quite a frustrating week for you. And I am sorry that was the case. And I am sorry for taking so long to come here. I will do as you say: give a few remarks and take some questions.
So, for me the important aspect of these last few days is that we have started consultations. The process of beginning, the road back to peace, has started. Not quite in the way that we would...
Bogotá, 06 September 2018. In recent weeks, six leaders of four Territorial Areas for Training and Reintegration (TATRs) and one new regrouping point (NRP) in the Southeastern region of the country decided to leave these Areas and abandon their responsibilities to approximately 1,500 ex-combatants residing there.
Mission personnel charged with verification of these Areas are closely monitoring this situation and have confirmed that, despite the departure of these leaders...
Madam President,
Thank you, Madam President, for this opportunity. We believe this is a very appropriate timing for doing it, particularly because the focus is on Idlib. We have been hearing it during these last few days, we are all terribly concerned. All the ingredients exist for a “perfect storm” with potentially devastating humanitarian consequences, and other consequences as well.
First of all, a little summary of facts. I’m sure John Ging will be also able to refer to the humanitarian aspects of it. The UN’s independent and best-available assessments put at least 2.9 million people inside the Idlib area, 2.9 million people, almost 3 million - among them one million children and 1.4 million people who already have been displaced at least once. There are listed Security Council terrorist groups – including non-Syrians, foreign fighters. Those that have been doing terrible things in many other places. They are also there. And there are also armed opposition groups, many of whom have been evacuated to Idlib through reconciliation agreements and are not part of the terrorist groups. But the overwhelming preponderance of people in Idlib are civilians.
President Assad has stated that restoring sovereignty and defeating terrorists remain the priority of the Syrian government. Senior government officials have further stated that retaking Idlib is the next goal. Senior Iranian and Russian officials have spoken in strong terms of their determination to purge terrorists in Idlib.
At the same time, they have indicated that 1) the Government would prefer to see so-called reconciliation agreements rather than military action, 2) that a Russian-Turkish understanding is crucially important, and 3) that Syria does not want a confrontation with Turkey. These are Syrian government official statements we have been recording recently. Russia has been in intensive dialogue with Turkey, and all eyes today are on what transpires after the Presidential Summit between Iran, Russia and Turkey, which has just concluded in Tehran.
Meanwhile, reports suggest increased deployments of government and its affiliated forces and equipment near the Idlib de-escalation zone. Yes, this used to be, and still officially is, a de-escalation zone. Airstrikes and mutual artillery shelling have been reported on its perimeter for the past month, resulting in deaths and injuries on both sides – with an intensification since 4 September.
Meanwhile, the leader of what they call Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, but basically al-Nusra, has publicly signaled the group’s intention to fight. On 2 September, photos of a weaponized drone were circulated online, after it landed on the Ghab plain – ostensibly the same model that the Russian Federation claims was used to carry out several attacks on the Hmeimim airbase in recent months.
For their part, armed opposition groups in Idlib have reportedly been fortifying their own positions, digging tunnels and trenches and detonating bridges. Many of these armed opposition groups, those who are not terrorist groups, have in parallel pleaded publicly for the Astana guarantors to secure a non-military solution.
Since early August, almost every single armed opposition group in Idlib has now come under the banner of what is called the National Liberation Front. This includes various groups who have been operating under the same banner with al-Nusra in the past. If this is confirmed, and we seem to be hearing that, this can be taken as a sign of their willingness to separate from al-Nusra. And we hope that they now take even further steps to separate themselves from listed terrorist groups. I note in this context that, at the end of August, Turkey made it clear that it views Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – that is al-Nusra – as a terrorist organization, sending a strong signal to armed groups to separate from al-Nusra from now on.
We have seen statements and counter-statements regarding potential chemical weapons use; we have seen warnings and counter-warnings about the dangers of a major assault on Idlib; and we have seen intensified military presence in the region.
I have laid out for you, Madam President, all the ingredients for a perfect storm. The dangers are profound that any battle for Idlib would be a horrific and bloody battle. Civilians are its potential victims, and there are ever-present dangers, in the case of a full-scale assault, of incidents or rapid escalations involving regional and international players. Let’s remember that there is no Idlib after Idlib to which people can be evacuated or at least feel safer during combat.
There must be and is another way than all out military escalation. The Security Council cannot accept that the civilians of Idlib must face this fate. Efforts to combat terrorism do not supersede obligations under international law and the moral conscience of humanity. We must put the sanctity of human, civilian lives above everything else. That is why we are urging all stakeholders to contribute to find a formula to prevent a terrible tragedy while at the same time allow the issue of Security Council-designated terrorist groups to be addressed. The declaration issued by Presidents Putin, Erdogan and Rouhani states that they decided to address the situation in Idlib, and I quote, “in the spirit of cooperation that characterized the Astana format”. We don’t have much more details on that. We would like to see what this means in practice in order to address this issue. They are the guarantors of this last de-escalation area. Therefore, they have a direct influence over the warring parties, and responsibility to solve it. And I’m sure Idlib is at the top of their agenda as it was shown in the Tehran meeting.
I look at other key actors - including the Gulf, and many other countries - who have leverage over non-terrorist armed opposition groups to do whatever they can to ensure that they put civilians first and separate from Al-Nusra. I am concerned about reports that many groups - not all - have become increasingly desperate and in some cases ruthless.
My colleague John Ging from OCHA will brief you on what must happen on the humanitarian side to protect civilians and the humanitarian response plan, but let me emphasize: people should be granted safe passage to places of their choosing if they want to leave temporarily. We must allow the opening of a sufficient number of protected voluntary evacuation routes for civilians in any direction: east, north and south. And for that, we [the UN] must be granted access, at scale. The UN stands ready, me included and I am sure all my colleagues of the humanitarian team, to work with all parties on the spot and elsewhere on the modalities and parameters for the establishment and functioning of such voluntary evacuation routes, if it was required, with full respect for international humanitarian law and human rights principles.
Let me further reiterate the Secretary-General’s clear position that any use of chemical weapons is totally, totally, unacceptable. As the OPCW has found, the norm against the use of chemical weapons has been repeatedly violated in Syria. This must not happen again. I cannot stress enough the danger associated with any alleged use of these weapons, not only in humanitarian terms, but also the acute threat to maintaining international peace and security. But I equally strongly underscore that the overwhelming majority of civilians have been killed in Syria by indiscriminate or sometimes targeted attacks against civilians by conventional weapons, and these are also abhorrent and unacceptable.
One last point: all this talk of an assault which can produce a “perfect storm” on Idlib is happening at exactly the same time than there is serious talk of moving on a constitutional committee, and desires to urge Syrian refugees to return to their country. These narratives do not sit well one beside the other. Either we are trying to find a political way to end this war and move to a post-war political scenario, or we will see this war reach new levels of horror. That is why today’s meeting in Tehran is so important, and why I am convening Iran, Russia and Turkey in Geneva next Monday and Tuesday, and then, on Friday, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United States. It would be the ultimate failure of imagination and of diplomacy if with all this effort we simply saw in increase of military activities.
Let me conclude with two points, if I may, Madam President. The first one is: I have seen today many people coming from Idlib. Civilians. They are civilians representing 2.9 million people. They are women, normal doctors, farmers, people. They are almost 3 million. They have been initiating demonstrations, peaceful demonstrations. They have been lighting candlelights at night, to show that in these homes there are normal people, not terrorists. They are 3 million civilians. And I have been inspired by what they have been telling me because they have been asking us, the UN, and through us yourselves, to also express their voices. In that context if you allow me, in the private chamber, since the question of separating terrorists from others and protecting civilians and giving a voice to the civilians, since I have been asked if we have ideas at the UN, we do have some ideas and I will take the liberty of elaborating on them when we meet in the private chamber. Any idea, any proposal to avoid this becoming the biggest humanitarian tragedy at the end of the most horrible recent conflict in our history, should be given a chance.
Thank you.