25 Jul 2012

UN / MIDDLE EAST

The United Nations top envoy to the Middle East said today (25 July) that while talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians remain stalled, “events on the ground continue to move in the wrong direction.” UNTV

Posted at: July 25, 2012 1:45 pm

Duration: 02:03

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / MIDDLE EAST
TRT: 2.03
SOURCE: UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 25 JULY 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1.	Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

25 JULY 2012, NEW YORK CITY

2.	Wide shot, Security Council
3.	Med shot, delegates
4.	SOUNDBITE (English) Robert H. Serry, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
"The effort to restart direct talks has not reached a breaking point.  But there has not been a breakthrough either. And that is increasingly a concern.  While talks remain stalled events on the ground continue to move in the wrong direction."
5.	Med shot, delegates 
6.	SOUNDBITE (English) Robert H. Serry, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process:
"The international community should understand that absent a credible political horizon for the establishment of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel, its own efforts in pursuit of this goal will increasingly lack credibility. The parties must now do their part to overcome admittedly difficult obstacles and take the steps necessary to enable an environment conductive to serious engagement. But I fear time is running out."	
7.	Med shot, delegates 
8.	SOUNDBITE (English) Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations:
"Nothing brings us further away from this internationally endorsed goal for peace than the continuation of Israel's illegal settlement campaign, which is being deliberately waged in an attempt to seize more Palestinian land and entrench Israeli control over the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem."	
9.	Med shot, delegates 
10.	SOUNDBITE (English) Haim Waxman, Deputy Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations:
"Let me be clear, there is a crisis in Gaza for both Israelis and Palestinians, and it is called Hamas. The crisis in Gaza is that Hamas attacks the crossings used to transfer humanitarian aid and then complains about shortages and delays."
11.	Med shot, delegates 
12.	Wide shot, Security Council

STORYLINE:

The United Nations top envoy to the Middle East said today (25 July) that while talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians remain stalled, "events on the ground continue to move in the wrong direction."

Robert Serry, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told a meeting of the Security Council that the past month has been characterized by a continuation of the effort to restart direct talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians amid continued worrying developments on the ground.

The Israelis and the Palestinians have yet to resume direct negotiations since talks stalled in September 2010, after Israel refused to extend its freeze on settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Serry said "absent a credible political horizon", the international community's own efforts for the establishment of a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel, "will increasingly lack credibility."

He called on the parties to "do their part to overcome admittedly difficult obstacles and take the steps necessary to enable an environment conductive to serious engagement", adding that he feared "time is running out."

The Permanent Observer from Palestine, Riyad Mansour also indicated the situation was worsening and blamed Israeli settlements for the stalemate.

He said "nothing brings us further away from this internationally endorsed goal for peace than the continuation of Israel's illegal settlement campaign, which is being deliberately waged in an attempt to seize more Palestinian land and entrench Israeli control over the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem."

Israeli ambassador Haim Waxman for his part said Hamas was to blame for the "crisis in Gaza for both Israelis and Palestinians"

He said "Hamas attacks the crossings used to transfer humanitarian aid and then complains about shortages and delays."

Delegates from some 38 countries were listed to speak in the council.  Many decried the existing stalemate and called for the resumption of direct talks between the two parties.

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