While it is essential for both Israel and the Palestinians not to lose sight of the immediate goal – Israel’s disengagement from Gaza – relations between the two sides are being marred because no agreed framework exists for that pull-out, or for what will happen next, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Alvaro de Soto told the Security Council today. “The unease, suspicion and cynicism that bedevil Israeli-Palestinian relations can be attributed in large part to the fact that the disengagement is not taking place within an unequivocally agreed framework for the next steps toward the overall solution to which both sides claim adherence, i.e., two states living alongside each other in peace,” he said in the monthly briefing – his first – on the situation. Read more about Israeli-Palestinian relations bedevilled by lack of framework – UN envoy (1/3) 

Civil society organizations committed to ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories and to achieving the Palestinians’ still unrealized rights, including the right of self-determination, today identified the coming year to inaugurate a global campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions to pressure Israel to end the occupation and comply with international law and all relevant United Nations resolutions, as the United Nations International Conference in Support of Middle East Peace concluded this evening in Paris. Through the adoption by acclamation of an Action Plan, civil society participants committed themselves to internationalism and the belief that the United Nations remained central to ending the occupation. Read more about UN Meeting on Middle East Peace concludes with Adoption of Action Plan (2/2) 

Civil society organizations committed to ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories and to achieving the Palestinians’ still unrealized rights, including the right of self-determination, today identified the coming year to inaugurate a global campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions to pressure Israel to end the occupation and comply with international law and all relevant United Nations resolutions, as the United Nations International Conference in Support of Middle East Peace concluded this evening in Paris. Through the adoption by acclamation of an Action Plan, civil society participants committed themselves to internationalism and the belief that the United Nations remained central to ending the occupation. Read more about UN Meeting on Middle East Peace concludes with Adoption of Action Plan (1/2) 

“We count on you to remain committed until the Palestinian people realize their aspirations for an independent state, and until Israel and all States in the region can live side by side in a peaceful and prosperous Middle East”, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan told civil society representatives today at the opening of the United Nations International Conference of Civil Society in Support of Middle East Peace. Speaking on Annan’s behalf, Sergei Ordzhonikidze told the meeting that despite some progress on the ground, however, the world community remained concerned about the continuing expansion of settlements, construction of the barrier in the West Bank, and acts of violence, the Secretary-General said. Read more about Kofi Annan speaks with civil society representatives in support of Middle East peace 

Despite the serious nature of various incidents, a prolonged breakdown of the calm prevailing in the Middle East over the past four months had been averted, Kieran Prendergast, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, told the Security Council this morning in his briefing on the situation in the region, including the Palestinian question. There had been a resumption during the reporting period of the Israeli practice of targeting from the air Palestinian militants.  Both sides were reminded of the need to take special care to protect innocent civilians, in accordance with international and humanitarian law. Read more about Security Council briefed on situation in the occupied territories 

Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Shashi Tharoor, delivered a message from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East, “Reinvigorating the Peace Process: The Role of International and Regional Actors in Facilitating a Comprehensive, Just and Lasting Peace in the Middle East in Cairo. “The people of the Middle East are now approaching a number of important turning points,” he said. With help from their regional and international partners, they can prevent a slide back into conflict and confrontation. And with help from responsible media — media that refrain from myths, stereotypes and hate propaganda –- they can avoid inflaming an already volatile climate.” Read more about Kofi Annan urges media to refrain from myths, hate propaganda in message to international media seminar 

Recent events in the Middle East should hopefully be remembered as “a new start on the road towards peace” rather than a “slide back into conflict and violent confrontation,” the senior political affairs officer at the United Nations told the Security Council today. With violence between Israelis and Palestinians having declined since a meeting between their two leaders in Egypt earlier in the year, “We hope that in the near future Prime Minister Sharon and President Abbas will continue the dialogue they began in Sharm el-Sheikh,” Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast said during his monthly briefing on the Middle East. Read more about Recent events in Middle East hopefully 'new start' on road to peace, Security Council told 

Incessant human rights violations by the occupying forces; Israel’s continued illegal policies aimed at changing the legal status, demographic composition and character of occupied East Jerusalem; the dire socio-economic situation in Palestine; and the need to put an end to Israel’s colonization of Palestinian land were highlighted as critical issues that required concrete action by the international community, as the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People met this morning. Palestine’s Chargée d’Affaires Somaia S. Barghouti said that the situation remained very critical, for improvements on the ground had only been minor. Read more about UN Committee on Palestine considers concrete action by international community 

The political climate between Israel and the Palestinians has vastly improved in the past month with hopes for progress towards peace rekindled, but possible action by Palestinian groups and the continuing hardships of daily life in the occupied territories still cast a dangerous shadow, the top United Nations political officer said today. “We are convinced that 2005 is a year of opportunity,” Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast told the Security Council in his monthly briefing, citing the summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinians’ vow to stop acts of violence and Israel’s pledge to cease military activities. Read more about Israeli-Palestinian peace climate vastly improved but threats persist, Security Council told 

The year had begun auspiciously with the success of the Palestinian presidential election, but the situation still remained fragile, the Secretary-General of the United Nations said this morning at the opening of 2005 session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian people. Now it was important to encourage the parties to deepen their political dialogue and match their positive words with action on the ground. Mr. Annan urged all Member States to help the parties meet their commitments and strengthen their cooperation, so that the opportunity for progress towards peace now at hand was firmly grasped. The United Nations would continue to work with its partners for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. Read more about Palestinian election success auspicious, but situation remains fragile, says Kofi Annan