United Nations – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday the international community’s failure to advance a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is spurring governments and parliaments to take action to recognize the state of Palestine — and “that momentum will grow.”
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The U.N. chief said at the U.N. commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People that the international community must assume “a collective failure” for not being able to get a peace deal.
“Indeed — as we see around the world — governments and parliaments are taking action,” Ban said.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a statement read at the commemoration, welcomed changes in popular sentiment in the West that have reached “official political levels,” starting with Sweden’s recognition of the state of Palestine and the overwhelming motions supporting recognition by parliaments in Britain, Ireland and Spain.
He said these actions, and upcoming votes in France and other European countries, are “positive developments which enhance the opportunities for peace and security and stability in the region.”
“Does Israel, the occupying power, understand all of the messages in this regard?,” Abbas asked.
Abbas accused Israel of trying to alter or erase the Palestinian and Christian and Muslim presence in Jerusalem and of taking measures aimed at turning East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as the capital of their future state, into a Jewish area.
Secretary-General Ban warned that incitement and provocative acts at the holy sites in Jerusalem “are fanning the flames of conflict far beyond the holy city.”
“Extremists on both sides are dictating the agenda,” Ban said. “I call on the parties to step back from the brink and find the path of peace before hope and time run out.”
Much of the recent violence has stemmed from tensions surrounding Jerusalem’s hilltop complex that is revered by Muslims and Jews. The collapse of U.S.-brokered peace talks, Israel’s war last summer in the Gaza Strip against the Islamic militant group Hamas, and continued Israeli settlement construction in east Jerusalem have added to Israeli-Palestinian distrust.
Abbas reiterated that the Palestinians are seeking a U.N. Security Council resolution that would set November 2016 as the deadline for Israeli troops to withdraw from all Palestinian territory. Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour indicated there will not be a vote in November.
Lama rugshu goyim u’liumim…ol Hashem v’ol Meshicho. May we see the true Geulah soon!
What an anti Semitic lowlife this monkey moon is. Instead of condemning the Arab violence , especially in Israel, against innocent civilians, he takes a stance which encourages the pali’s to continue to take unilateral steps towards illegal statehood,
Would be nice to hear Ban Ki Moon offer some unqualified condemnation of the massacre in Har-Nof in a synagogue rather than rhetoric about Israel trying to deny Palestinian and Christian and Muslim presence in the Holy City. But please don’t hold your breath.
Do you realize that if it weren’t for Israel, the entire UN would have nothing to talk about
Tell a lie often enough it becomes the truth. When will the palestinians (sic) take responsibility for the peace failure. The terrorism they commit is not reason enough. Now the excuse is Har Habais. They don’t allow other religions to pray there, They use it to pelt the Jews from…, but it is Israel’s fault that it can only be used by muslims to commit violence from. When will the world’s hatred of Jews cease, so that can realize that the muslims consider them infidels, and when convenient will be the next target (as in Iraq)?
PALESTINE without peace id doomed