REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NEW YORK -- UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson on Tuesday called for resolution of the long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict, as the entire Middle East is facing the threat of terrorism and violent extremism.
Addressing the opening of the 2015 session of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Eliasson called on the UN system, the international community and all concerned stakeholders to work to "revive negotiations for a two-state solution" and intensify the efforts towards a way out of the impasse.
While originally designated as the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, 2014 "was a grim one for Palestinians and Israelis, and all those who seek peace," he said on behalf of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Last summer, hostilities between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of almost 2,200 Palestinians and 72 Israelis.
"Today, Gaza remains a desolate place under blockade and with much human suffering," Eliasson stressed, urging donors to fulfill pledges made at October's Cairo conference for the reconstruction of Gaza.
According to a recent UN assessment, as it stands now, over 100, 000 homes remain damaged or destroyed, affecting more than 600,000 people. Many people still lack access to the municipal water network. Blackouts of up to 18 hours per day are common.
"I regret that the parties have since taken unilateral steps that have deepened mutual distrust and distanced them from a prospect of negotiated settlement," Eliasson said, referring to rising levels of violence in the West Bank with incitement fanning religious tensions in the region and beyond.
The deputy UN head urged both parties to refrain from any action that could further exacerbate the situation and to demonstrate the necessary leadership for reaching and implementing the difficult decisions that lie ahead.
"All good forces must now be mobilized," Eliasson said. "At a time when the entire region is facing the threat of terrorism and violent extremism, resolving this conflict is clearly a serious matter for international peace and security."
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