(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency) The United Nations Security Council on Monday night held a session that focused on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and the situations in Syria and Lebanon.
During the session, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, said in a briefing that the quest for peace between Israel and the Palestinians has reached a "dramatic" crossroads, warning that the region's future remains "more uncertain than ever." Speaking to the 15-member body in New York, Serry said "now is the time to deescalate and refrain from provocative steps, re-build trust and set conditions for a return to negotiations that will resolve this conflict. "hope for a lasting solution to the conflict must be restored before it is too late." he added.
"Making headway in at least salvaging prospects for resolving the conflict will require the active role of the international community," he said, noting that "Israelis and Palestinians still demand an end to the conflict despite their strong malaise on the peace process itself".
Noting legislative action in Europe towards recognizing a Palestinian State as well as the agreement by the League of Arab States to present to the Council a draft resolution setting a timeframe for its creation, he said those actions were important but not a substitute for a genuine peace process recognized by both parties.
In that context, he conveyed the Secretary-General's hopes that the Council would generate momentum towards a meaningful and constructive framework for renewed negotiations. "Such a move by the Security Council would constitute a major step on this conflict since the adoption of Security Council resolution 242 (1967), almost 50 years ago," he said.
He said that what he called a "deadly diplomatic vacuum", due to the collapse of the ruling coalition in Israel and the scheduling of early elections for 17 March 2015, was no excuse for either side to let the present situation worsen, as conditions on the ground remained explosive.
As a result of the widespread damage in Gaza, the UN official noted that a UN-backed reconstruction mechanism had begun to assist with the deliveries of construction materials into the war-ravaged enclave. In addition, he said, trade had been re-established between Gaza and the West Bank, although it still remained well-below potential.
"The urgency to address these needs is compounded by the extreme weather Gaza has experienced in recent weeks with the early arrival of the rainy winter season." In his briefing, Serry also said he was "very concerned" about the reinstatement of Israel's practice of punitive demolitions after almost a complete halt for nearly a decade.
Briefly turning to Syria, he reported on Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura's efforts to bring about a "freeze" of the conflict in the city of Aleppo, intended as a building block towards an inclusive national political process without preconditions.
He said the situation on the Golan remained volatile, with clashes and fly-overs in the areas of separation and limitation.
On Lebanon, Serry noted United Nations support for response to the refugee presence and condemned deadly attacks on the Lebanese Armed Forces by militants near the Syria border, with 25 Lebanese security personnel still held hostage by extremist groups.
He welcomed preparations announced by legislators for dialogue between Hizbullah and the Future Movement, expressing hope that would ease tensions and help resolve the seven-month-long vacuum in the presidency, among other issues.
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