On Tuesday 24 July, the chargé d'affaires from the EU delegation to the United Nations in New York, Joanne Adamson, called for measures to improve the situation in the Gaza Strip.
"The Gaza Strip has been like a pressure cooker for some time and is on the verge of explosion. Two million people have limited access to basic services, and shrinking hopes that their own lives and the lives of their children can be improved", she warned at a UN Security Council open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue. "The peace process is in stalemate, the situation in Gaza is not viable and the reality on the ground compromises the outlook for a two-state solution", she regretted.
Adamson said that to avoid the crisis becoming worse, five additional measures were thus urgently needed "to bring significant change to the political, humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza".
On behalf of the EU, she called for an end of the closure and for the full opening of crossing points "in order to reinvigorate the Gazan economy", while addressing Israel’s "legitimate" security concerns.
Fully supporting the work fo the United Nations special coordinator, Nickolay Mladenov, in close relation with the Palestinian Authority, to strengthen the UN's capacity in Gaza in order to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and reduce the tension, Adamson stated that the proposals of the UN special coordinator aiming to alleviate the humanitarian crisis should continue to be supported by the international community. UNRWA must remain able to carry out its important function and services with the international community stepping up its support and its financial commitment to plug the funding gap, Adamson stated. On 25 July, UNRWA announced its decision to dismiss over 250 employees in Gaza and the West Bank following the drastic cuts in US aid (see EUROPE 11956).
The EU representative also called on the international community to support the efforts made under Egyptian auspices to reunite Gaza and the West Bank under one single and legitimate Palestinian Authority through progress in the intra-Palestinian reconciliation. A reconciliation agreement was signed last October (see EUROPE 11883).
In addition, Adamson said that "serious efforts" must be made towards a resumption of meaningful negotiations aimed at a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders "that meets Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, ends the occupation and resolves all final status issues in order to end the conflict". "There is an urgent need to restore the political horizon", she said.
Adamson announced that the EU was ready to contribute to these efforts. She said the EU would like to continue working with the Israelis and Palestinians, and the regional actors – headed by Jordan and Egypt and the members of the Quartet (the USA, Russia and the UN). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)