Announcing that today’s briefing to the Security Council would be his last in his capacity as Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, Terje Roed-Larsen delivered a message to the opponents of Middle East peace: “It is time to wrest control from them and to take charge. The need to act could not be any clearer.” In the regular monthly briefing to the Council on the Middle East situation, Mr. Roed-Larsen said that, with the passing of Yasser Arafat last week, a political titan had passed away, a giant — for friend and foe alike — had left the world political scene. Read more about UN envoy: "The need to act could not be any clearer" 

The Bureau of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People is deeply saddened by the death of Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and President of the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian people have lost a leader who, for decades, has been a powerful symbol of national aspiration, unity, steadfastness and courage, and who devoted most of his life to the struggle against the occupation and for the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. In the last decade, President Arafat has embarked on a historic journey towards achieving what he often called the “peace of the brave” and realizing the goal of establishing the State of Palestine. Read more about UN Committee for Palestinian rights deeply saddened by death of Arafat 

Reacting to the death of President Yasser Arafat, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today said President Arafat will always be remembered for having led the Palestinians, back in 1988, to accept the principle of peaceful coexistence between Israel and a future Palestinian state. “By signing the Oslo accords in 1993 he took a giant step towards the realization of this vision,” a spokesman for Mr. Annan said in a statement issued in New York. “It is tragic that he did not live to see it fulfilled.” Read more about Arafat to be recalled for leading Palestinians to accept principle of coexistence with Israel -- Annan 

Humanitarian agencies are appealing for US$ 302,601,889 to maintain their assistance to Palestinians. The continued provision of food aid in 2004 has helped to limit the rise in malnutrition, and emergency relief has served to lower the proportion of those living in deep poverty. Humanitarian agencies will keep on supporting Palestinian livelihoods and help to prevent further depletion of their assets. Humanitarian agencies released their consolidated appeal today. They expect that humanitarian needs will continue gradually to increase during 2005. Given current levels of violence and stalled negotiations, there is limited hope that closure will be lifted. Read more about Humanitarian agencies appeal for $302 million to maintain their assistance to Palestinians 

During the past year not a single minute had passed during which Israel had not deliberately engaged in the violation of international law, including humanitarian law and human rights law, the Permanent Observer of Palestine told the Fourth Committee this morning, as it began consideration of the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories. She said the violations included the killing and injuring of Palestinian civilians, destruction of homes, confiscation of land, construction of the wall, settlements, and restrictions on movement. Read more about Fourth Committee takes up report on Israeli practices in occupied territories 

Peter Hansen, the Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has expressed his growing concern and distress over the humanitarian situation of over 660,000 Palestine refugees in the West Bank. The refugees have been denied essential services, including emergency relief, by the continued strike of UNRWA’s 4,000 local staff in that area of its operations. Hansen is particularly worried about the effect the absence of teachers from schools is having on 60,000 pupils at UNRWA’s 95 schools in the West Bank. Read more about Chief of UN aid agency for Palestinians asks striking workers to return to jobs 

The Fourth committee met this afternoon to continue its consideration of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Speakers continued to express strong support for the humanitarian work of UNRWA and called for the alleviation of its budgetary problems. Many speakers also called on Israel to cease from measures which, they said, constricted the Agency’s ability to move staff and provide assistance. The representative of Bangladesh said that those measures resulted from a policy of collective punishment, including unprecedented destruction of homes and property, curfews, incursions, restrictions of movement and denial of humanitarian access. Read more about UN General Assembly expresses support for UNRWA's work, calls for adequate funding 

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) faced enormous hurdles in the occupied Palestinian territory that had developed as a result of violence, curfews and closures, Peter Hansen, Commissioner-General of his agency, told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) this afternoon. Introducing his report on the Agency’s activities during the period of July 2003 through 2004, he said the past year had unfortunately seen a dramatic increase in the scale of military operations in the Gaza Strip. Read more about UN agency for Palestinian refugees face major obstacles in maintaining services 

The Secretary-General has reviewed the report by the Investigation Team from the Secretariat which has inquired into the Israeli allegations against UNRWA personnel. The Secretary-General takes note of the Team’s conclusion that the allegation that a rocket was loaded into an UNRWA ambulance was unjustified as the object, in fact, was a folding stretcher of the type carried as normal equipment in UNRWA ambulances. He also takes note that, following the Team’s visit, the Government of Israel has admitted that it wrongly identified the stretcher as a Qassam Rocket and has publicly withdrawn the allegations. Read more about Secretary-General notes Israel's withdrawal of rocket allegation against UNRWA