During a briefing presented by B. Lynn Pascoe to the body on behalf of the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, the situation in the region was presented with what observers called an increasingly pointed eye.
Though continuing to welcome and observe Israel's new stance toward the siege on Gaza, the briefing noted that the steps taken so far must be "enhanced to address the deplorable conditions in the Strip," and adding that further measures "need to be taken to enable exports and movement of people and to streamline procedures for project approval."
Noting the end of the sixth round of proximity talks under US-appointed Middle East envoy George Mitchell and the upcoming meeting of the Arab Peace Initiative follow-up committee, Pascoe urged "parties not to miss the current opportunity to make progress and move to direct negotiations with active third party involvement and close Quartet support."
Deporting PLC members a 'serious step backwards'
Pascoe stressed that recent threats to expel four Hamas-affiliated lawmakers "charged with not fulfilling the minimum loyalty to the State of Israel" in 2006 and subsequently sentenced to four years in prison, "which they served," would be a "a serious step backwards and would undermine hopes of making political progress."
The briefing also noted Israel's approval of the construction of 32 new apartments in an East Jerusalem settlement and the demolition of six East Jerusalem homes, and reiterated that "the international community does not recognise Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem and that the Fourth Geneva Convention is applicable," indicating that Israel is obliged to halt settlement construction and respect the rights of Palestinian civilians in the city.
West Bank conditions
Since 18 May, the briefing noted, "Israeli authorities demolished a total of 106 structures in Area C of the West Bank," with Pascoe reiterating the Quartet’s call on 19 March in Moscow for the parties to implement their obligations under the Roadmap and international law.
The number of obstacles in the West Bank "remained at 505 during the reporting period," the official told the assembled nations, noting that Israel had promised to make changes to improve movement and access for West Bank residents during the spring.
Pascoe noted that a 10-month partial halt to settlement construction in the West Bank was coming to an end and urged a renewal, noting "21 violent clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank during the reporting period in which three Palestinians were injured and/or suffered damages to their property. In several separate incidents in the past two months, Israeli settlers used their vehicles to run over and kill or injure Palestinians."
The official also noted that "settlers were also injured by stones thrown at their vehicles."
Economic growth
"I am pleased to report," Pascoe told the assembly, "that according to the preliminary growth figures for the first quarter of 2010 released by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Gross Domestic Product in the occupied Palestinian territory increased by 12.5%, as compared to the first quarter of 2009."
The official urged continued financial support to the PA in order to sustain the trend.
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