New York, April 28 (Petra) -- The United Nations Security Council held a high-level open debate on Tuesday to discuss the Palestinian question, presided over by Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, whose country holds the council presidency for April.
Briefing the council, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Khaled Khiari, warned that while recent regional hostilities have diverted global attention, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories is witnessing a "steady deterioration." Khiari highlighted the extreme fragility of the current ceasefire in Gaza, noting that civilians continue to bear the brunt of ongoing violence and that humanitarian needs remain "immense." He stressed the urgent need to transition from immediate aid to early recovery and reconstruction.
A key focus of the discussion was the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803, which endorses a transitional governance framework for Gaza. Khiari underscored the importance of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza a technocratic body authorized by the resolution taking on its intended administrative roles to manage day-to-day operations and public services in the strip.
Turning to the West Bank, Khiari reported an alarming rise in violence, particularly by settlers, and a rapid acceleration of settlement activity. He noted that between mid-March and mid-April, Israeli authorities advanced plans for 1,080 new housing units 680 in the West Bank's Area C and 400 in East Jerusalem.
"These activities, alongside widespread displacement and economic decline, are eroding the prospects for a viable two-state solution," Khiari said. He specifically pointed to the volatile situation in refugee camps in the northern West Bank as a major concern.
The session featured statements from approximately 80 officials and delegates, including Tony Blair, representing the Board of Peace, and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, who chairs the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) for international assistance to Palestinians.
Participants called for the full implementation of the "Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict" and urged parties to respect international law to prevent further regional escalation.
//Petra// AF
