UNITED NATIONS: In a UN Security Council meeting on Friday evening, representatives unanimously called for allowing Palestinians to remain in Gaza and the West Bank, emphasising the importance of respecting international law and preventing forced displacement.

The meeting addressed the worsening situation in the Middle East, particularly focusing on the escalating conflict in Gaza and rising tensions around the Red Sea.

As the war in Gaza approached the 100-day mark, key figures and representatives voiced serious concerns about the situation in the Palestinian enclave and rejected any move to displace Palestinians from their lands.

With over 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza internally displaced, the situation in the Palestinian territory “is heart-breaking and untenable,” said US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

“The US position has been clear and consistent – Palestinian civilians in Gaza must be able to return home as soon as conditions allow,” she said, noting that her country has also made it clear that “civilians must not be pressed to leave Gaza under any circumstances.”

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield drew attention to an “unprecedented rise” in violence in the West Bank. “The US strongly opposes the advancement of settlements in the West Bank, and we strongly oppose the violence that has come to characterise them,” she said. “At their core, settlements undermine the geographic viability of a two-state solution, exacerbate tensions and further harm trust between Israelis and Palestinians.”

Nicolas de Rivière, Ambassador of France, which holds the Council presidency for January, emphasised another key point. “We must work towards a Palestinian State,” he said, adding that efforts must focus immediately towards a lasting ceasefire, with the help of all regional and international partners.

“The Palestinian Authority has a central role to play in this process, in the West Bank as in Gaza, which aims to be part of this Palestinian State,” he added.

UK Ambassador Barbara Wood­ward said Britain “firmly rejects any statements proposing that Palestinians should be resettled outside of Gaza, including those by members of the Israeli government.”

“Ahead of a permanent ceasefire, we want to see immediate and sustained humanitarian pauses,” she added.

“Gaza is a stain on humanity’s conscience,” said Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun. “We need robust action to end the conflict. Any forced displacement of Palestinians must be firmly rejected.”

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council that “efforts are underway to prevent the mass deportation of Palestinians from their land.” He stressed that occupying Palestinian lands “have clear obligations” to protect the people living there.

Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine to the UN, thanked South Africa for presenting its case against Israel for alleged genocide in Gaza at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), stating that the lesson of the Holocaust is to stand against atrocities, regardless of the perpetrator.

He also called for an “immediate ceasefire to prevent a regional escalation of the crisis,” stressing the urgency of saving Palestinian children’s lives.

UN Humanitarian Affairs Chief Martin Griffiths reiterated the demand, stating, “Any persons displaced from Gaza must be allowed to return, as international law demands.” He emphasised the need for a ceasefire and expressed deep concern about recent statements by Israeli ministers regarding plans for mass civilian transfer from Gaza to third countries.

Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, Ilze Brands Kehris, warned against compelled evacuations, stating that they could potentially amount to forcible transfer, constituting a war crime. She spoke about an alarming rise in violence by Israeli settlers and security personnel in the West Bank and condemned statements from Israeli politicians hinting at the permanent resettlement of Palestinians overseas.

Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama emphasised, “Silence is complicity,” urging the international community to speak out against the displacement of Palestinians. In a resounding consensus, the international community within the UN Security Council called for urgent measures to end the conflicts, protect civilians, and pave the way for lasting peace in the Middle East.

The clear message persuaded Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan to assure the international community that there would be ‘no forced displacement.’ “Israel has no intention of displacing the population in Gaza,” he added.

The Palestinian envoy said it’s “a supremacist, racist, criminal and delusional vision that somehow Palestinians accept death, exodus or subjugation.”

Stressing that the Palestinian people “are here to stay and that they have a right to live in freedom and dignity in their ancestral land,” he said that this was the “only path” towards shared peace and security.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2024