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.
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Map of United Nations Special Political Missions and Other Political Presences 2024
The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) manages Special Political Missions (SPMs) engaged in conflict prevention, peacemaking and post-conflict peacebuilding around the world.
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DPPA also provides guidance and support to traveling envoys and special advisers of the Secretary-General who bring his “good offices” to bear in the service of conflict resolution or the implementation of other UN mandates. For more information about the UN global leadership team, visit: https://www.un.org/sg/en/global-leadership/home
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The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the growing risks of a humanitarian catastrophe in the event of a full-scale military operation in Idlib province in Syria. The Secretary-General once again reaffirms that any use of chemical weapons is totally unacceptable.
The Secretary-General urgently appeals to the Government of Syria and all parties to exercise restraint and to prioritize the protection of civilians.
He calls on the Astana guarantors to step up...
Mme. President,
Members of the Security Council,
We meet today in the wake of yet another series of violent escalations that threatened to plunge Gaza into war.
Over the past several weeks, Special Coordinator Mladenov has led unprecedented UN efforts, with the Government of Egypt and other regional and international partners, to prevent another devastating outbreak of hostilities, respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs, and support intra-Palestinian reconciliation.
The recurring violence highlights the urgency of this initiative. In several rounds of hostilities throughout the reporting period, Palestinian militants fired some 195 rockets and mortars towards Israel. On 7 August, one Grad rocket reportedly landed in an open field near the city of Be’er Sheva, the furthest a projectile has been fired since the 2014 hostilities.
Israel targeted sites in the Strip on at least 125 occasions. Eight Palestinians, including a pregnant woman and her 18-month-old baby were killed, while 56 Palestinians and 28 Israeli civilians were injured. These exchanges, which have escalated in recent months, underline the fragility of the interim periods of calm and the need for longer-term solutions.
Mme. President,
In recent weeks, the humanitarian situation in Gaza had also deteriorated further, due in part to additional restrictions that Israel imposed on the movement of goods through the Kerem Shalom crossing. This was in reaction to the launching of incendiary kites and balloons from Gaza that have burned thousands of acres of Israeli fields, forests and agricultural land.
On 15 August, Israel fully reopened Kerem Shalom and expanded the fishing zone to nine nautical miles. The Secretary-General welcomed the decision as having a significant impact on the struggling Gaza economy and on efforts to de-escalate the situation. However, on 19 August, Israel closed the Erez pedestrian crossing to Gaza and West Bank residents, except for humanitarian cases, citing continued violent incidents at the fence.
As we work towards a full lifting of the closures on Gaza, in line with Security Council Resolution 1860, I call on all parties to ensure that urgently needed humanitarian supplies reach the Strip. These should not be held hostage to political and security developments.
I also reiterate previous calls by the Special Coordinator to Hamas to provide full information on the Israeli nationals who are being held in Gaza, as required by international humanitarian law.
Mme. President,
The UN is taking steps to increase its capacity on the ground to better support energy, water, health and job-creation projects endorsed by the Palestinian Authority and the international community. I am pleased to note that many donors and international organizations are looking into increasing their allocations for Palestine. This is the appropriate response to Gaza’s crumbling infrastructure and collapsing economy.
In particular, I am encouraged by the World Bank’s increased USD 90 million allocation for West Bank and Gaza, including for some 4,400 short-term employment opportunities.
UNDP is also accelerating its emergency economic assistance programme with support from several donors. Both efforts focus on employment for women and youth as a priority. The UNDP programme aims to have 40% of resulting job placements for women, a critical step, given that the unemployment rate for Palestinian women continued to be significantly higher than men, exceeding 78 per cent in Gaza in the second quarter of 2018.
This follows the launch in May of the “Decent Work for Women” programme, a joint Italian, UN-Women and ILO initiative to promote equal and decent work opportunities throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as the launch last April of a Japan-funded UN-Women project to support women in Gaza. Improving women’s socio-economic status is essential to peace and stability, as women remain more vulnerable throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory. These are also important efforts to strengthen women’s role in preventing conflict, as per Security Council resolutions on women, peace and security.
I am however deeply concerned that funding for UN emergency fuel, which sustains some 250 critical facilities in Gaza has now run out.
Some USD 4.5 million are urgently required to ensure a minimum level of essential services through the end of the year. Also of concern is the dangerously short supply of essential medicines, with 40 per cent of essential drugs completely depleted.
The UN is working with the Governments of Israel and Palestine on reviewing the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism to improve its functionality, transparency and predictability. The Palestinian Authority has also made great efforts to re-assert its engagement in support of Gaza. I look forward to its full and active participation in this regard.
I also welcome Egypt’s continued efforts to facilitate intra-Palestinian reconciliation, critical to advance not only Gaza’s humanitarian and development objectives but also Palestinian national aspirations. I reiterate the Secretary-General’s call on all parties to support these efforts.
Mme. President,
We have been regularly updating the Council and its members on the unprecedented financial challenge UNRWA faces this year.
The Secretary-General has warned that failing to address UNRWA’s remaining USD 217 million funding shortfall will have serious humanitarian and developmental consequences, as well as implications for regional stability. I thank Member States that have taken steps to assist in closing this shortfall and call on others to increase their support to UNRWA. It is imperative to maintain the strong collective mobilization.
Mme. President,
Turning to the broader situation, violent incidents continued to take place throughout the Occupied Palestinian territory and Israel. In Gaza, 13 Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces during continued protests near the perimeter fence, including one medical worker and four children. Some 1000 Palestinians and one Israeli soldier were also injured.
On 21 August, Israel’s Military Advocate General announced that military police investigations would be opened into the death of two Palestinians killed during protests near the fence in recent months.
While Israel has a duty to protect its citizens, it must exercise maximum restraint in the use of live fire, and refrain from using lethal force, except as a last resort. I further call on Hamas to avoid violence at the fence and refrain from putting children in harm’s way. Children should never be targeted or instrumentalized in any way.
On 26 July, in the West Bank settlement of Adam, a 17-year-old Palestinian stabbed an Israeli civilian to death and injured two others. He was shot and killed by one of the victims. It is deplorable that Hamas and others once again chose to glorify this attack.
After a period of relative calm in Jerusalem, on 27 July, the one-year anniversary of the resolution of last year’s unrest at the Holy Esplanade, clashes erupted at the site between Palestinians and ISF, during which ten Palestinians and four Israeli police officers were injured. On 17 August, an Israeli Arab man was shot dead by ISF in Jerusalem’s Old City after attempting to stab them. Following both incidents, Israeli security forces closed the entrances to the compound for a few hours, before restoring full access.
With the celebration of Eid al-Adha this week, and the Jewish holidays approaching, I urge all to do their part to avoid provocations at Jerusalem’s Holy Sites.
The Special Coordinator conducted a series of meetings with Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders in Jerusalem to discuss the importance of maintaining calm, rejecting violence, and ensuring the status quo is preserved at the Holy Sites. He will continue its engagement with all stakeholders.
Mme. President,
On 14 August, Israeli authorities announced they would publish a tender for 603 units in the Ramat Shlomo settlement in East Jerusalem, the first such announcement since 2016. In Area C, a tender for 511 housing units was published, and construction based on previously approved plans continued.
On 1 August, the Israeli Civil Administration confirmed its intention to expand the municipal boundaries of the Amichai settlement to include the outpost of Adei Ad. If implemented, this would result in the first outpost legalization, under Israeli law, since 2014. I reiterate the UN long-standing position that all settlement activities are illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace.
Israeli authorities demolished 18 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C and East Jerusalem for lack of building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain. As a result, eight Palestinians were displaced, including six children.
On 1 August, Israel’s High Court of Justice indicated it did not find sufficient reason to prevent the demolition of the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar. It instructed the State to present an alternative relocation site, on which the parties have not agreed. Demolition is on hold while the Court considers the case.
I reiterate UN calls on Israel to cease the demolition of Palestinian property and efforts to relocate Bedouin communities in the occupied West Bank. Such actions are contrary to international law and undermine the two-state solution.
Mme. President,
I would like to close by highlighting the efforts of ordinary women and men, Israeli and Palestinian, who overcome cynicism and despair by taking tangible steps to promote tolerance and forge a shared future.
They include volunteers who drive Palestinian patients to medical appointments in Israel; youth leaders finding creative ways to build a shared future amongst Jerusalem’s communities; scientists working together to solve regional environmental challenges; and Palestinian and Israeli women mobilizing constituencies for peace and promoting the participation of women in the political process, in line with Security Council Resolution 1325. As outlined in the 2016 Quartet Report, such initiatives provide a crucial foundation for broader peace efforts. I invite Member States to continue generously supporting them.
Even as the international community focuses on resolving the current crisis in Gaza and returning the legitimate Palestinian Government to the Strip, the perseverance of these individuals reminds us of the need to view our efforts in the context of our broader goal – ending the Israeli occupation and achieving a future of two states, based on relevant UN resolutions and previous agreements, living side by side in peace, security and dignity.
Thank you.