"RIYAD MANSOUR"

Informal comments to the media by Riyad H. Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the UN, following Security Council consultations on the Middle East.

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland said the international community should have “no illusions about the current state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict” adding that there has been “no progress towards realizing a two-state solution.” UNIFEED

Informal comments to the media by Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, on the situation in the Middle East following the Security Council's 8826th meeting.

Lynn Hastings, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council, “Beyond the human tragedy for both Palestinians and Israelis, and the physical damage of eleven days of fighting, the economic impact of the escalation in May has further exacerbated the existing humanitarian crisis and severely weakened Gaza’s economy.” UNIFEED

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland said the recent events have “made clear once again the costs of perpetual conflict and lost hope” adding that the international community's approach to Gaza and the conflict as a whole “cannot be business as usual, and we cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past.” UNIFEED

Hybrid press briefing by Ambassador Sofiane Mimouni, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations and Chair of the Arab Group for the month of May 2021; along with Ambassador Abdou Abarry, Permanent Representative of Niger to the United Nations and Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for the month of May 2021; and Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations.

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said it was not in the interest of the Palestinian people to “send gifts” to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, rather it is to “isolate Netanyahu and his extremist fascist groups until they cannot bare this global pressure on them to stop this aggression, which will happen.” UNIFEED

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland said the successful completion of inclusive Palestinian elections is a “critical step toward renewing democratic legitimacy of the Palestinian Government,” adding that the path forward “will not be easy and will require political courage from all sides.” UNIFEED

UN chief António Guterres today reiterated his call on the Government of Israel to “immediately halt all settlement activity, which is a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution, and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.” UNIFEED