At the event

The UNSC heard reports by UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peace-buildingAffairs Rosemary DiCarlo and UN AssistantSecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Ursula Mueller.

Many speakers expressed concern over prolonged violence and conflictsbetween Israel and Palestine, leaving thousands of people dead, including womenand children.

A majority of opinions called on Israel to immediately endsettlement activities in the occupied West Bank, including the East Jerusalem.The UN and countries affirmed that such activities are a serious violation ofinternational law as mentioned in the UNSC’s Resolution No.2234 in 2016.

Meanwhile, the economic crisis, the lack of medicines,electricity and clean water continue impacting lives of Palestinians in GazaStrip. About 70 percent of Palestinian women living in the area are unemployed.

Over the past years, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the NearEast (UNRWA), the UN Development Programme and the World Bank have conductedhumanitarian activities, generating tens of thousands of jobs in the GazaStrip.

A number ofdelegates asked Israel to immediately end restrictions on travel and trade inGaza Strip.

The UN andcountries affirmed their consistent support for the two-State solution to theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict and for the pre-1967 borders, as well as theserious implementation of the UN’s relevant resolutions and previousagreements.

They also urgedparties concerned to exercise utmost restraint and prevent escalation.

Speaking onbehalf of his own country, Head of the Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the UN,Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy expressed Vietnam’s concern over rising violence inoccupied territory, and condemned attacks on civilians, women, children, andcivil infrastructure such as schools, crops and assets of people.

Vietnam calledon parties concerned to exercise utmost restraint and avoid actions that couldincite violence, respect and enforce international law and the UNSC’s relevantresolutions, he said.

Quy urgedIsrael to immediately end the building of illegal settlements and lift travelrestriction in occupied territory. He also expressed support for the UNRWA’stasks.

Vietnam pursuesthe consistent policy of supporting the fight for justice by Palestinians for theirinviolable rights, including the right to national self-determination and theestablishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State, he said,adding that the only solution to the Israel – Palestine conflict is the establishmentof a Palestinian State with pre-1967 borders, and living in peace, security andmutual respect with the Israeli State.

The open debatewill continue on January 22./.VNA