HAMILTON, Canada
UN Security Council members warned on Wednesday about Israel's illegal settlements and violent actions in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Some demanded a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
Khaled Khiari, UN assistant secretary-general for the Middle East and Asia and the Pacific, told the Security Council of the "relentless Israel settlement expansion near the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem," and said that "in Gaza, the cease-fire is long overdue."
"The continued collective punishment of the Palestinian people is unjustifiable. The relentless bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces, the larger number of civilian casualties, the blanket destruction of Palestinian neighborhoods and the worsening of the humanitarian situation are horrific," he said.
Expressing deep concern about the continued illegal expansions by Israeli settlers, Khiari said it fuels tensions and impedes the possibility of an "independent, democratic, contiguous and sovereign Palestinian state."
"I reiterate that all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have no legal validity and are in flagrant violation of international law and UN resolutions," he said.
The UK's deputy, James Kariuki, pointed to the "shocking increase in cases of acute malnutrition in children" in Gaza, and said, "Gaza now has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world."
Urging Israel to do more to protect civilians and abide by international obligations, Kariuki said: "The UK calls on Israel to stop settlement expansion on Palestinian land, which is illegal under international law, and to hold violent settlers to account."
"Continued instability and settler violence in the West Bank should not be tolerated by Israel and the culture of impunity must end," he said.
He rejected attempts at the "forcible transfer of Gazans from or within Gaza," and said: "There must be no reduction of the territory of the Gaza Strip. Israel's expansion of military infrastructure and the destruction of civilian buildings and agricultural land across the Strip is unacceptable."
Switzerland's envoy, Pascale Baeriswyl, denounced the starvation of Gazans, "the use of which as a method of warfare constitutes a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court."
She demanded an immediate cease-fire and condemned Israeli officials' statements that announced plans to expand illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.
Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia noted the US' repeated vetoes on cease-fire resolutions at the Security Council and claimed that the reason is to "make sure that the Israeli military operation can continue in Gaza, and therefore that the lives of hostages continue being endangered."
Describing Israel's actions in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem as "illegal," he said it also violates relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.
"We are particularly concerned by the statements made by the Israeli officials about forcibly changing the demographics of Gaza so as to recolonize the Strip," he said.
China's deputy envoy Geng Shuang urged the Council to use all options "in its toolbox and taking all necessary actions to end the conflict in Gaza, and urge the relevant country not to block Council actions anymore," referring to the US/
Geng demanded Israel "immediately cease military operations in Gaza, fulfill its obligation on international humanitarian law, lift the blockade of Gaza and restrictions on humanitarian access."
US envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield voiced concern that "Israeli actions in the West Bank undercut the Palestinian Authority's ability to meet the needs of the Palestinian people, and more broadly, dampen the prospects of a two-state solution."
"We reiterate our position that Israeli settlements in the West Bank is an obstacle to the achievement of a two-state solution," she said, adding that Israel's illegal settlements are "inconsistent with international law and only serves to weaken Israeli security."
She highlighted "alarming" reports of a record number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank and urged Israel to "intervene and stop them from, better yet, prevent them in the first place."
“We urge Israel to halt efforts to legalize outposts in the West Bank and to do everything possible to de-escalate tensions and hold all perpetrators of violence accountable, no matter the background of the perpetrator or the victim," she said.
