UPDATING LIVE: General Assembly to hold emergency session on Israel-Palestine crisis

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A wide view of the General Assembly's tenth Emergency Special Session, which last convened on 12 December 2023.

10 May 2024

Peace and Security

The UN General Assembly is set to convene again at 10 AM New York time for an emergency special session on the Gaza crisis with the fate hundreds of thousands of civilians in Rafah hanging in the balance as Israeli forces continue their advance on the southern city.

Aid operations have come to a standstill since the start of the military’s ground operation in Rafah, with an estimated 100,000 Palestinians displaced once again, in a highly fluid situation, according to humanitarians.

The Assembly is also expected to vote on a draft resolution, co-sponsored by a group of countries, concerning the status of the Observer State of Palestine at the United Nations.

The draft resolution follows the veto cast by United States at the Security Council on 18 April, which blocked Palestine’s admission as a full UN Member State. That draft resolution, submitted by non-permanent member Algeria, had received twelve votes in favour, with Switzerland and the United Kingdom abstaining.

Draft resolution on Palestine

The draft resolution expected to be put to a vote at the 193-member General Assembly, where no nations have veto power, and is expected to “recommend” that the Security Council reconsider the matter of Palestine’s membership favourably in line with Article 4 of the UN Charter concerning membership and the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1948.

A revised version of the draft resolution, as of Thursday evening in New York, also includes an Annex, which on an exceptional basis and without setting a precedent, lists significant changes to the State of Palestine’s status in General Assembly meetings and conferences, including its order in the list of speakers and seating arrangements.

These would not just be of symbolic importance but signal a shift in Palestine’s diplomatic heft within the entire UN system.

No voting rights

It also notes that as an Observer State, Palestine does not have the right to vote in the General Assembly or to put forward its candidature to UN organs such as the Security Council or the Economic and Social Council.

If adopted, the modalities would only apply from the start of the 79th session of the General Assembly, which gets underway in mid-September 2024.

Draft resolutions do not represent the official position of the General Assembly until they are formally adopted.

Once the resolution is voted on the whole issue of Palestine’s status will return to the Security Council for further consideration where any effort to attain full membership it is likely to be blocked again by permanent member, the US.

The majority of the General Assembly will have had their say however, amid the continuing crisis.

Tenth Emergency Special Session

The meeting is the continuation of the tenth Emergency Special Session (tenth ESS), which last convened on 12 December 2023, against the backdrop of a worsening crisis in Gaza.  

At that meeting in a resolution passed overwhelmingly, the Assembly demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

The Assembly also decided to adjourn the session temporarily and authorized the President of the General Assembly to resume its meeting upon request from Member States.

The tenth ESS convened for the first time in April 1997, following a request from Qatar. It followed a series of Security Council and General Assembly meetings regarding the Israeli decision to build a large housing project in an area of East Jerusalem.

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Guterres urges Security Council to act over Israel-Palestine crisis as threat to international peace and security

© UNRWA/Ashraf Amra

 

People search for their belongings in the rubble in the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza.

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6 December 2023Peace and Security

Invoking a rarely used article of the UN Charter, Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday called on the Security Council to “press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and unite in a call for a full humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants.

In a letter to the Council, Mr. Guterres invoked Article 99, contained in Chapter XV of the Charter.

This says that the UN chief “may bring to attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

In a statement to journalists along with the letter, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that this was the first time Mr. Guterres had felt compelled to invoke Chapter 99, since taking office in 2017.

Scale of loss

Mr. Dujarric explained that the UN chief was taking the step “given the scale of the loss of human life in Gaza and Israel, in such a short amount of time”.

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He described the use of Article 99 as a "dramatic constitutional move" that Mr. Guterres hoped would put more pressure on the Council - and the international community at large - to demand a ceasefire between the warring parties.

"I think it's arguably the most important invocation", Mr. Dujarric told reporters at UN Headquarters, "in my opinion, the most powerful tool that he [the Secretary-General] has."

The letter was sent to the President of the Security Council in New York late on Wednesday morning.

Since the 7 October terror attacks by Hamas militants in southern Israel and the ongoing bombardment and ground operation by Israeli forces into the Gaza Strip, the Security Council passed one resolution in mid-November, after four failed attempts to find consensus previously, calling for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses”.

Following a week-long pause in hostilities during which some of the 240 hostages being held by militants in Gaza were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, fighting began again on 1 December, leading the Secretary-General to register his deep regret.

‘Appalling human suffering’

In his letter to the Council president, Mr. Guterres said the more than eight weeks of fighting overall had “created appalling human suffering, physical destruction and collective trauma across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

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He highlighted the more than 1,200 “brutally killed” by militants on 7 October, including 33 children, and the 130 people still being held captive.

“They must be immediately and unconditionally released. Accounts of sexual violence during these attacks are appalling”, the UN chief added.

As Israel continues to target Hamas fighters, he said civilians throughout the Strip face grave danger, with over 15,000 reportedly killed, over 40 per cent of them children.

Around 80 per cent of Gazans are displaced, over 1.1 million seeking refuge in UN Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA) shelters.

Hospitals now ‘battlegrounds’

Mr. Guterres said there is simply no effective protection for civilians and nowhere is safe.

“Hospitals have turned into battlegrounds”, he added, saying that amid the constant bombardment of all parts of Gaza “and without shelter or the essentials to survive, I expect public order to completely break down soon”.

Turning to the 15 November Council Resolution 2712, he said the current conditions were making it impossible to scale up humanitarian supplies, to meet the huge needs of civilians – as the resolution demands.

“We are simply unable to meet those in need inside Gaza”, he wrote, and facing “a severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian system.”

The consequences of that have irreversible implications for Palestinians and the peace and security of the entire region, he argued.

‘This is urgent’

“Such an outcome must be avoided at all cost. The international community has a responsibility to use all its influence to prevent further escalation and end this crisis.

“I reiterate my appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared. This is urgent. The civilian population must be spared from greater harm.”

He stressed that with a ceasefire, there was hope “and humanitarian assistance can be delivered in a safe and timely manner”.

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Israel-Palestine: Gaza death toll passes 5,000 with no ceasefire in sight

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Some displaced families in areas of southern Gaza are adapting to conditions as best they can.

23 October 2023

Humanitarian Aid

The number of people killed in Gaza has exceeded 5,000 according to latest reports from de facto authorities there, amid intensifying Israeli airstrikes in response to Hamas attacks, while humanitarians repeated urgent calls for a ceasefire and more aid convoys.

Echoing that message, UN health agency (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a new appeal on Monday for “sustained safe passage” for medical essentials and fuel to keep health facilities open.

“Lives depend on these decisions,” he insisted on social platform X.

Latest media reports citing the Gaza Ministry of Health indicate that the number of people killed in Gaza since 7 October has risen to 5,087.

Women and children have made up more than 62 per cent of the fatalities, while more than 15,273 people have been injured.

UNRWA staff killed now 35

In addition to the overall death toll, the number of UN staff members working with the Palestine refugee agency UNRWA, has reached 35, according to the latest situation report released late on Monday. A further 18 staffers have been injured.

At least 40 UNRWA installations have been damaged since the violence began on 7 October. 

© UNICEF/Ayad El Eyad

 

People queue outside a bakery in Gaza.

UNRWA said nearly 600,000 internally displaced are sheltering in 150 UNRWA facilities overall with nearly 420,000 seeking refuge in 93 of the agency's shelters in Middle, Khan Younis and Rafah areas, further to the south - that's an increase of around 14,000 civilians in the past 24 hours.

In its latest humanitarian update on the crisis UN humanitarian aid coordination office, OCHA, said that more than 1,000 have been reported missing and “are presumed to be trapped or dead under the rubble”.

The largest medical facility in Gaza, Shifa hospital, is now treating around 5,000 patients, many times beyond its normal figure of around 700. 

The UN Spokesperson said on Monday that the average number of people staying in Gaza shelters is 4,400, around 2.5 times their designated capacity.

Around 70 civilians are sharing space in each UNRWA classroom.

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Israel: Threefold rise in deaths

According to Israeli official sources quoted by OCHA, some 1,400 people have been killed in Israel, the vast majority in the Hamas attacks on 7 October which triggered the latest conflict.

OCHA said that the reported fatality toll is “over threefold the cumulative number of Israelis killed” since it began recording casualties in 2005.

At least 212 Israeli and foreign nationals are being held captive in Gaza, the Israeli authorities have said. Two hostages were released last Friday. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly called upon Hamas to release hostages immediately and unconditionally.

Trickle of aid

A new aid convoy entered Gaza from Egypt on Monday through the Rafah border crossing comprises 20 trucks according to the Egyptian Red Crescent, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, briefing reporters in New York.

He said that was equivalent to just four per cent of the pre-crisis level of daily needs, for commodities for Gaza's population of more than two million.

This was the third such delivery after the crossing opened on Saturday for the first time since the start of the conflict, following intense diplomatic efforts.

A total of 34 trucks with aid provided by the UN and the Egyptian Red Crescent entered the enclave over the weekend. The UN has stressed that to respond to soaring humanitarian needs, at least 100 aid trucks per day are required.

Desperate need for fuel

The development comes as (UNRWA) warned on Sunday that it was set to run out of fuel within three days, putting the humanitarian response in Gaza at risk.

UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said that without fuel, “there will be no water, no functioning hospitals and bakeries” and that “no fuel will further strangle the children, women and people of Gaza”.

Education void

Meanwhile, OCHA said that more than 625,000 children in Gaza have been deprived of education for at least 12 days, and 206 schools have been damaged. At least 29 of them are UNRWA-run establishments.

UNRWA reported on Sunday that 29 of its staff members have been killed in Gaza since 7 October – half of them teachers.

In the occupied West Bank, the escalation has also resulted in restrictions on the access to education. OCHA said that all the schools inside the territory were closed from 7 to 9 October, affecting some 782,000 students. As of last week, over 230 schools which cater to some 50,000 students had not reopened.

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Emergency Special Session to convene Thursday

The Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly has confirmed that the 10th Emergency Special Session on Israel and Palestine will reconvene this Thursday.

The session is officially titled: Illegal Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Special sessions are convened allowing the UN's entire membership to make recommendations for collective measures during times of intractable crisis - if requested by either the Security Council (seven of its members or more) or a majority of the General Assembly.

The Tenth Emergency Session was last adjourned in 2018.

'Humanity must come first' - rights chief

A broad humanitarian ceasefire is essential for both Gaza and Israel, said the UN human rights chief Volker Türk.

“Far too many civilian lives, many of them children, have already been lost – on both sides - as a consequence of these hostilities. And, unless something changes, coming days will see more civilians on the brink of death from continuing bombardment. Humanity must come first,” the High Commissioner said.

Noting the Gaza Strip is already on the verge of catastrophe, he said the reports of overcrowding and disease spreading, "are deeply worrying".

“This violence will never end unless leaders stand up and take the brave and humane choices that are required by fundamental humanity. The first step must be an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, saving the lives of civilians through the delivery of prompt and effective humanitarian aid, throughout Gaza, provided according to need and not limited by any other, arbitrary criteria,” he added.

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Israel-Palestine: UN envoy ‘deeply alarmed by continuing cycle of violence’

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Jenin refugee camp borders the Jenin municipality and is the northernmost camp in the West Bank.

20 June 2023

Peace and Security

The UN’s Middle East envoy said on Tuesday he was “deeply alarmed” at the continuing cycle of violence in Israel and Palestine, and “appalled by the continued loss of civilian lives.”

Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland was reacting on Twitter to the news of a shooting attack reportedly by two Palestinian gunmen, who opened fire at a petrol station on a road outside an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.

News reports quoting the Israeli military said both of the gunmen had been shot dead, one at the scene by an armed civilian and the other by Israeli security forces.

The UN envoy urged “all sides to refrain from steps that could further enflame an already volatile situation.”

Jenin camp raid

Tuesday’s violence followed a day of bloodshed on Monday, when at least five Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces during an operation inside the Jenin refugee camp prompting Mr. Wennesland to voice his deep concern over the escalating violence.

He tweeted that the Israeli operation and ensuing exchange of fire with Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank city resulted in five dead including a child.

Scores of Palestinians and seven Israeli security personnel were reportedly wounded.

Return to ‘political path’

“Such escalations threaten to plunge Palestine and Israel deeper into a deadly crisis”, he said. “All sides must refrain from actions that would further escalate the situation and take steps to reengage on a political path.”

According to news reports, the confrontation involved Israeli forces entering the camp before dawn on Monday. An Israeli helicopter fired missiles in response to militants targeting troop carriers with explosives.

The helicopter reportedly opened fire as forces were attempting to extract soldiers and stranded vehicles.

Israel has been intensifying raids in the West Bank for months now carrying out searches, arrests and home demolitions, amid a reported rise in attacks from Palestinian militants targeting Israelis. More than 160 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since the start of the year, with 21 Israeli deaths. 

Guterres ‘deeply troubled’ over settlements plan

On Monday night, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement saying he was “deeply troubled” by the Israeli Government’s decision to amend its settlement planning procedures in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

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Reiterating concerns expressed earlier in the day by Mr. Wennesland over the plans which are expected to expedite illegal Israeli settlement expansion – overhauling policies in place since 1996 – the UN chief said he was also “deeply alarmed” over the likely Government announcement next week of 4,000 new settlement housing units.

“The Secretary-General reiterates that settlements are a flagrant violation of international law”, said the statement issued by his Spokesperson.

“They are a major obstacle to the realization of a viable two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace. The expansion of these illegal settlements is a significant driver of tensions and violence and deepens humanitarian needs.”

He said the move would further entrench the occupation, while encroaching on Palestinian land and natural resources.

It will also further hamper the free movement of the population and undermine Palestinians’ right to self-determination and sovereignty.

“The Secretary-General urges the Government of Israel to halt and reverse such decisions and to immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to fully respect its legal obligations in that regard.”

He also called for “further concrete steps” to put in place de-escalation measures to stem the rising violence, agreed between Israeli and Palestinians in recent months in the form of Joint Communiqués in Aqaba, Jordan and Sharm al-Sheik.

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Israel-Palestine: UN envoy calls for greater effort towards peace amid mounting violence

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People walk through Jerusalem's Old City.

25 April 2023

Peace and Security

The current trajectory of escalating unrest between Israelis and Palestinians is neither sustainable nor inevitable, UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland told the Security Council on Tuesday, delivering his latest report. 

Mr. Wennesland expressed deep concern over recent violence and inflammatory actions, particularly the violent confrontations inside al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem earlier this month. 

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He urged the sides, regional States and the international community, to show leadership, re-engage and work towards peace and the vision of a two-State solution. 

“There must be an end to the unilateral measures, provocations and incitement that enable violence and prevent progress toward resolving this conflict and ending the occupation,” he said. 

Mounting deaths 

Mr. Wennesland, officially the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, was briefing ambassadors during their quarterly open debate on the region. 

He reported that overall, 17 Palestinians were killed and 200 injured by Israeli forces during demonstrations, clashes, search-and-arrest operations, attacks and alleged attacks against Israelis, and other incidents.  

Another 39 Palestinians were injured by Israeli settlers or other civilians in shooting attacks, stone-throwing and other incidents. 

Meanwhile, four Israeli civilians were killed and 31 injured, by Palestinians in shooting and ramming attacks, clashes, the throwing of stones and Molotov cocktails, and other incidents.  A foreign national also was killed, and seven others injured.  

Clashes at Holy Sites 

Mr. Wennesland reported that although the recent period of overlapping religious holidays for Muslims, Christians and Jews was mostly calm, it was marked by “shocking incidents of violence at Holy Sites and tensions across the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Israel, with a brief escalation spilling over into the region.” 

He said the confrontations that erupted at Al-Aqsa Mosque came in the wake of provocative calls and incitement from several parties.  Militants in Gaza and Lebanon fired dozens of rockets towards Israel in response, which he condemned. The Israeli Defense Forces subsequently carried out strikes in Gaza and southern Lebanon. 

Just days later, clashes occurred between Israeli police and Orthodox Christians attempting to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the Holy Fire ceremony, exceeding an attendance limit enforced by Israeli authorities. 

West Bank violence 

Other violence in the occupied West Bank and in Israel continued during the reporting period, he said.   

Israeli military operations resulted in many Palestinian casualties, including four deaths during a raid in Jenin in March. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed two of those killed as members of their armed wings. 

Incidents also included the 7 April killing of two British-Israeli sisters in a shooting attack in the West Bank by perpetrators in a car with Palestinian plates. Their mother, who was critically wounded, died three days later.  

Levels of settler-related violence also remained high during the quarter, while demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned property continued to be a serious concern.  

Support the Palestinian Authority 

Mr. Wennesland noted that amidst the deteriorating situation on the ground, the Palestinian Authority continues to face significant fiscal and institutional challenges.  UN entities that provide support to the Palestinian people are also facing significant funding shortfalls, which is impacting basic service delivery.  

He called for the parties and the international community to strengthen Palestinian institutions, improve governance and shore-up the fiscal health of the Palestinian Authority.  

Concluding his remarks, Mr. Wennesland urged Israelis, Palestinians, countries in the region and the international community to show leadership, re-engage and work together in pursuit of peace. 

He said the goal is to end the occupation and resolve the conflict in accordance with international law, relevant UN resolutions and previous agreements to achieve the two-State solution. 

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