Daily Archives: January 24, 2022

*Urges Buhari to listen to voice of reason, cautions politicians against reckless statements*National census coming a year to election, dangerous, northern elders say *Wants government to provide security, address impending food scarcity*Atiku, Sultan of Sokoto, others proffer solutions

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar yesterday painted a gloomy picture of Nigeria, stressing that the nation was at crossroads.

He said this while speaking as the chairman of the 19th Daily Trust Dialogue with the theme: 2023:The Politics, Economy and Insecurity.

He also called on President Mohammadu Buhari to listen to the voice of reason and act swiftly to address the crisis plaguing the nation. He equally appealed to politicians to always mind their utterances, saying all must understand that they have no other country than Nigeria.Nigeria is once again at a crossroads. Insecurity remains the single most difficult challenge for our country today, he lamented.

He also called on the federal government to see, whatever we discuss and agree today, we hope that the authorities will take it in good faith and work with it. In my own experience as a leader, I have found that collective wisdom is all better than individual ability.

He added: The Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east, banditry in the north-west, violent secessionist agitations in the south-east, kidnappings and abductions of travellers across many states all continue to fester in the land. Add to these, ethnic, religious and communal conflicts are rearing their ugly heads again in many parts of the country.

All of these have greatly challenged and overstretched our security forces. These challenges have caused thousands of deaths and millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria over the past 13 years.

He quoted the Global Conflict Tracker compiled by the US Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) to have disclosed that about 350,000 persons had been killed and three million displaced directly or indirectly in the conflict in the north-east since 2009.

Also quoting a report by Beacon Consulting, a Nigerian security risk consultancy, Abubakar disclosed that Nigeria recorded 574 cases of kidnappings and 431 confirmed fatalities in security incidents that cut across 29 states and 96 Local Government Areas in December 2021 alone.About 75 per cent of the kidnappings and 57 per cent of the fatalities occurred in the north-west, he said further.

This is clear indication that the epicenter of insecurity in the country has shifted from the north-east to the north-west, he declared.

He said a major cause of insecurity in Nigeria was the proliferation of all calibre of weapons in the country in particular, and in the West African sub-region generally.

For example, he said the 2018 Small Arms Survey estimated that there were over six million of such weapons in circulation in Nigeria, adding that this certainly exacerbated the insecurity situation presently in the country.

In terms of the economic outlook, Abdulsalami, said insecurity in the country was worsened by the dire economic situation.

According to him, In the past three months or so, economic growth rate and inflation have improved somewhat. The economy grew by between four and five per cent since June last year, continuing the recovery from the near economic collapse of 2020. Inflation figures have also dropped to 15.4 per cent, from a four-year high of 18.17 per cent in March 2021.

All of these figures are contained in the 2022 Budget Breakdown and Highlights presented by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning early this month. But the impact of these numbers on the lives and wellbeing of the ordinary Nigerian is suspect.

Unemployment and underemployment remain at record levels, and over 80 million Nigerians are still caught up in needless poverty. All of these tend to have negative effects on security.

In fact, Nigeria now faces a food security crisis that is compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and banditry in many states of northern Nigeria. Both of these have disrupted the fragile value chains across the country and negatively impacted the ability of Nigerians to produce, process, and distribute food. The result is a continuing rise in the prices of food items beyond the reach of many Nigerian families.

On top of all these, fuel prices are expected to rise significantly in the coming months as announced last November by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. When this happens, as the government has planned, it will push many millions deeper into poverty.

He added: Young people and women are the demographic groups most affected by the countrys dire economic outlook. For example, estimates by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that while the national unemployment rate stood at 33 per cent by the end of 2020, unemployment for young people between ages 15 and 34 years was 10 per cent higher at 42.5 per cent.

He stressed that if these are not carefully managed, the frustrations of these groups could easily boil over into a national conflagration worse than what was seen during the #EndSARs protests.However, these are not doomsday predictions but a warning to which all stakeholders must pay heed, the former head of state added.

On the political context, the former military leader said the worsening economic and security situations in the country during an election year make it a very challenging period for Nigeria that must be carefully managed by all concerned.

Already, he noted that calls for restructuring Nigeria and for reviewing the constitution have reached fever pitch.

He said: There are calls too for how the resources generated in the country are shared by its constituent parts. Also, for the first time in Nigeria, southern governors have ranged against their northern counterparts, each demanding the presidency for their region.

Meanwhile, some groups would like to balkanise the country and go their separate ways.

In addition to these, Abdulsalami said politicians across all parties were already jostling for power at all levels, explaining that some even use inflammatory political rhetoric to achieve their ends.

According to him, others are presently stoking political fires that would be difficult to put out even after the elections, adding that some again, are lying low, looking to spring surprises on their opponents.

Worse still, political rivalries are sometimes turned into personal fights between supporters of one politician and another. In some instances, these rivalries have degenerated into violence and deaths. None of these is new in Nigerian politics.

And yet, none of them have been fully resolved. It appears that Nigeria is stuck politically in the same place and our democratic experiment has refused to grow beyond these issues, even after more than 60 years of national independence and self-government.

All of these developments make 2022 a very crucial year for the country and its people. Whatever we do or dont do this year will linger for a long time to come, he statedHe explained that the election year calls for statesmanship and patriotism, adding that, it calls for restraint among all politicians in words and deeds. And above all, it calls for serious social and economic programmes that would help pull Nigeria out of the woods.

Speaking on the way forward, he said, As we enter into this important election year, I will like to use this forum to send a few reminders to us all. Let us all remember that despite all the challenges and threats, Nigeria remains one.

For this, we give thanks to Almighty Allah and the resilience of Nigerians. Our unity, and our large and youthful population remain are our greatest strength. We must not compromise these. Instead, we must consolidate on them to chart a way out of current challenges.

As we in the National Peace Committee have been doing for years now, all stakeholders must work with an open mind towards building peace across the country. The government should channel redouble its efforts and channel more resources towards securing peace.

Traditional rulers, and religious and community leaders should support the government towards securing peace for our people. Without security, there is no country.

Our political class must realise that the fate of Nigeria lies in its hands and choose to do good in this moment of history. As they jostle for power in the coming elections, all politicians must watch their words and deeds carefully and avoid saying or doing things that will further heat up the polity.

We must all remember that no one can rule over a nation in ruins. Leadership is a collective responsibility, and we must all play our parts positively, the former military ruler said.He pointed out that in November last year, the federal government through the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed unveiled a National Development Plan with an investment size of over N348 trillion.

This investment was expected to be funded collaboratively by both federal and state governments, and by the private sector.

If implemented faithfully, the plan will build infrastructure all across the country, expand the private sector, develop social services like all health and education for all Nigerians, and create millions of jobs for our teeming youth over the next five years.

Obviously, there is not much time left for this government to achieve all of these. But I am convinced that the scale of this investment is precisely what Nigeria needs now. So, regardless of party or political differences, the next government can embrace this plan and use it as a blueprint for our collective development.

It has the potential to make Nigeria another success story so that we can take our rightful place among the committee of nations, he said.

Also speaking at the event, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) objected to plan by the federal government to conduct a national census a year to the 2023 general elections, stating that it portends a very dangerous omen.

The position of NEF was disclosed by the Director of Publicity and Strategy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who said that holding census when election was near would create a lot of tension with several meaning ascribed to it.

Baba-Ahmed urged the federal government to focus its attention on addressing the security challenges facing Nigeria as well as the impending food scarcity in the country due the security crisis.

Lending his voice to the dearth of quality governance in the country, the spokesman of the NEF said things have gone so bad that, 90 per cent of our governors have no business being in power today.

He warned against electing a President in 2023 whose only credential is his ability to buy votes, saying, Nigeria does not need an ethnic president, but a competent leader who can provide leadership to move the country forward.

Also speaking, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar said what the country needs to bounce back to reckoning was a leader capable of addressing the challenges facing the nation.

What is important now is to identify a competent leader that can get us out of these crises. We have the capacity to pull this country out of her present predicament. We must do the needful and most importantly, I believe a leadership that will prioritise education is desirable, Atiku said.On his part, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Saad Abubakar III called for continuous dialogue as a way of building national consensus.

I am one of those who so much believe in dialogue and I believe there cannot be too many sessions not only in this country but across the world. Let us close ranks and come together to see what we can do to move this country forward in peace and prosperity, he added.

In his contribution, Borno state governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum decried activities of insurgents in the north-east, attributing their evil campaign to lack of adequate quality, functional education in the land.

According to him, investment in education remains a vital tool in addressing most of the nations socio-economic challenges.

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Abdulsalami: Nigeria at Crossroads, Insists Nation is Bleeding - THISDAY Newspapers

Home News Why feminism and homosexuality are increasingly tensing the Arab world January 24, 2022

Aspirations for freedom and political participation as well as social rights have been stifled at the same time as the revolutions of the Arab Spring and this in favor of struggles for individual freedoms, carried by the themes of gender, imposed by the West. Here is the point of view of a conservative intellectual, but which reflects an opinion widely shared in the Arab world.

There is a strong movement of rejection all at once of feminism, atheism and homosexuality in Arab public opinion, writes Mohanna Al-Hubail on the site Al-Khaleej Online (The Gulf Online).

These three notions form a triptych and are perceived as one and the same thing, notes this conservative intellectual, living in exile for having defended civil rights in Saudi Arabia.

According to him, this rejection is explained by accumulated anger since the failure of the Arab springs. There was then a general consensus that the Arab world desperately needs a new pact political, where the state ensures the freedom, equality and rights of citizens.

The Collapse of this Arab Spring project went hand in hand with a new western colonial cycle, where Western authorities and international organizations have taken up the notion of freedom, but only from the angle of gender issues.

This focused approach eclipsed the themes dear to the initial project of the Arab revolutions, which were above all political and socio-economic, with in particular the demand for political participation and a fairer distribution of wealth, recalls the author.

By ignorance, or by conviction, young people [] took up gender themes in media and blogs, including some specially created for the purpose of spread these ideas in the Arab world, he complains.

While accusing in passing social media giants, Netflix and others to be the singers of a globalization [autour des thmes] of the kind. And this while they have otherwise no regard for the central struggle, which is to free the individual from the burden of tyranny and build a new political consensus.

If this Saudi intellectual is not far from crying out for the international conspiracy to destroy the Arab family, he adds, however, that individual freedoms are also important. According to him, the discourse of the Islamists has not been able to create a framework that guarantees these freedoms, and where people are not forced to behave.

Source

Created in June 2014, the site Al-Khaleej Online (The Gulf online) is part of the dynamics that followed the Arab spring. As the noose has tightened again on the regions media, it is trying to offer coverage

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Why feminism and homosexuality are increasingly tensing the Arab world - The Times Hub

Busts of Karl Marx and communist-era propaganda posters dominate the rather austere surroundings.

The walls could also do with a lick of paint.

Even the most ardent communist would admit the party's headquarters in central Prague have seen better days.

Which is all a convenient metaphor for Czech communism: like its offices, the party has seen better days.

The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSM) failed to win seats in parliament for the first time in its history at last Octobers parliamentary election.

Since political parties are given state money for every MP they have in parliament -- now zero for the communists -- the coffers are emptier than normal.

In the early 2010s, the KSM was one of the three main political parties in the country, commanding nearly 15 per cent of the vote.

Last October, it fell to around 3 per cent.

Nonetheless, Kateina Konen, an MEP who became party leader in the wake of the election defeat last year, is optimistic they can mount a comeback.

If I wasnt an optimist, I wouldnt be sitting here, she told Euronews.

She has an uphill struggle: last Octobers general election was a rout for left-wing parties.

The Social Democrats (SSD), another major political force after the Czech Republic was founded in 1993, also failed to win seats in parliament for the first time in their history, picking up just 4.65 per cent of the vote.

The Green Party again performed badly, gaining less than 1 per cent of the vote.

Even the progressive Pirates, now one of the five parties that make up the new coalition government, won just four of its electoral alliances 37 seats. It went from having the third-biggest number of MPs in parliament after the 2017 ballot to now the smallest.

Analysts point to some domestic explanations for the collapse of left-wing parties. Both the SSD and KSM were tainted by association with former prime minister Andrej Babi, one of the countrys richest men. The SSD was in a formal coalition with ANO, Babi populist party, and KSM supported the former government informally in parliament.

But ANO claimed all the credit for the governments generous welfare expenditure, siphoning off the voters from the left-wing parties, explained Filip Kostelka, a professor at the European University Institute.

As a result, ANO won 72 seats in the Chamber of Deputies last year, making it the largest party in parliament.

The Social Democrats had been internally split for years, mostly because of the decision of Jan Hamek, who led the party into last Octobers ballot, to cooperate with Babi in 2018. Hamek survived a leadership challenge just months ahead of the election but resigned last October.

Corruption allegations tainted both parties as well as finances. The KSM spent nearly 1.3 million on its campaign for last October's election, about a third of what Babis ANO splurged, according to party finances disclosures to parliament.

The SSD had a little more money (2.3 million) but that was nearly half the victorious SPOLU electoral alliances outlay.

More worrying are demographics: the average age of KSM supporters is around 80, says Lubomr Kopeek, a political science professor at Masaryk University, and it is struggling to attract younger voters.

The SSDs voter base has also winnowed to mainly the elderly in rural areas. That has meant both parties found it difficult to adapt to changing demands of the wider voting public, analysts say.

Sean Hanley, an associate professor in Central and Eastern European politics at University College London, argues that the electoral collapse of left-wing parties in the Czech Republic is representative of the obvious fall of the political left across Europe during the 2010s.

The French Socialist Party used to routinely be in government but fell to only the fourth-biggest group in the National Assembly after 2017. The Dutch Labour Party went from 42 MPs in 2003 to now just nine. The British Labour Party remains in the doldrums, suffering its worst electoral defeat in 84 years at the 2019 general election.

This European trend even has a name: Pasokification, a reference to the collapse of the Greek centre-left party PASOK.

Analysts have many theories as to why. Its down to the hollowing out of working-class communities, according to some, or lingering blame for many of the centre-left parties that were in power during the 2008 financial crisis. Social class and economic policy have become less important to voters.

Hanley, of University College London, says that socio-economic issues havent gone away as key issues for voters, but only have appeal when packaged up with other cultural issues, like migration and corruption.

This was a formula used successfully by Babi, whose election campaign last year focused on two issues.

First, his government had increased pensions and state welfare payments. Second, his government was against increased migration. He even invited Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbn, a champion of European anti-immigration politics, to speak on his campaign trail just days before the election.

Czech left-wing parties realise they have to adapt and can no longer just campaign on economic policy.

Communist leader Konen stressed that her party is unique in its foreign policy agenda: it wants to pull the Czech Republic out of the NATO alliance and offer a referendum on EU membership.

Michal marda, who became president of SSD after last Octobers election defeat, said the party plans to make a restart with its new leadership. That includes its new vice-president Tom Petek, the countrys former foreign minister who attempted a leadership challenge within the party last year.

It is not that the left-wing issues and left-wing voters will disappear overnight. These are people living here, these are issues still relevant for our society, marda told Euronews by email.

Konen stresses that those issues will grow even more important in the coming years, especially as the new coalition government of Prime Minister Petr Fiala plans to push ahead with rightist policies.

Babi has vowed to be the defender of left-wing values in parliament, where his ANO party is the main largest opposition group, but Konen doubts that.

In some aspects, he will be promoting left-wing or social issues, she said, but generally his policies will never be the left policies and his party will never become the [main] left-wing political party.

Instead, she argued, there needs to be a proper left-wing voice in Czech politics.

Fiala vows to balance the budget, after blaming his predecessor Babi for running up the countrys debts, and his government is likely to hit welfare benefits and social spending. His pro-Western foreign policy will likely frustrate many left-wing voters.

There is a large block of Czech voters on the economic centre-left and moderately cultural conservative who are likely to find the coming years tough, Hanley said.

If what has happened in the rest of Europe points to some answers for the collapse of the Czech left-wing parties, they might also learn something from abroad.

Kostelka, of the European University Institute, reckons an ambitious left-wing politician could launch a new left-wing platform in the Czech Republic, something similar to what happened in Slovakia in the early 2000s.

In 2005, the politician Robert Fico began to merge many of rump left-wing parties in an expanded Direction Social Democracy (SMER) party, while also switching towards a more centrist and populist outlook. SMER won Slovakias 2006 general election, while Fico was prime minister for ten of the next 12 years.

Making alliances is the way forward, said marda, the SSD leader. The unification of democratic left, as well as left-leaning parts of Czech civil society, is definitely the way to get Czech Social Democracy back into the Chamber of Deputies, he said, adding that Czech left-wing parties were behind the times in this respect.

Early last year, many of the countrys centrist or centre-right parties formed electoral alliances.

The Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Christian Democrats (KDU-SL) and TOP 09 created the SPOLU (Together) alliance that won 71 of the 200 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. Afterwards, it agreed to a coalition government deal with another electoral alliance, composed of the Pirate Party and the centrist Mayors and Independents (STAN). Fiala, the new Czech prime minister who took office in late November, is head of SPOLU.

The right has united its forces and won. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the left, said Konen.

While she rules out any unification of the left-wing groups into one larger party, she agrees that an electoral alliance, possibly with the SSD and some smaller groups, is the way forward.

The big test, she argued, will come at municipal elections later this year, when she reckons the left-wing parties could form an informal partnership to run with joint candidates or back out of certain municipalities if the other party fields a stronger candidate. She also expects the left-wing parties to agree on a single candidate for next years presidential election.

It's at these two elections where we will see how the left in the Czech Republic will be able to unite, she said.

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Czech left-wing parties are at rock bottom. Can they make a comeback? - Euronews

Madam President, Foreign Minister Huitfeld,

Excellencies,

Members of the Security Council,

In my recent briefings, I have highlighted the ongoing deterioration of the economic, security and political situation across the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Regrettably, this trend continues and urgent steps are required to prevent the situation from worsening.

The Palestinian Authoritys (PA) fiscal situation continues to be dire, threatening its institutional stability and its ability to provide services to its people. Violence continues unabated across the OPT, including settler violence, leading to numerous Palestinian and Israeli casualties and increasing the risk of a broader escalation. Settlement activity, demolitions, and evictions also continue, feeding hopelessness and further diminishing prospects for a negotiated solution.

We must be frank about what is needed to reverse these trends and provide momentum towards a reinvigorated peace process. Piecemeal approaches and half measures will only ensure that the underlying issues perpetuating the conflict continue to fester and worsen over time. Unilateral steps and conflict drivers must stop. Political and economic reforms must be implemented to ensure the PAs continued ability to function effectively, while boosting donor confidence and support.

Above all, efforts by the parties and the international community to stabilize and improve conditions on the ground should be linked to a political framework.

Without a realistic prospect of an end to the occupation and the realization of a two-State solution based on UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements, it is only a matter of time before we face an irreversible, dangerous collapse and widespread instability.

Madam President,

Daily violence continued throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory during the reporting period.

In Gaza, on 29 December, a Palestinian opened fired towards the Gaza perimeter fence, injuring an Israeli civilian. In retaliation, Israeli forces fired several tank shells at what they said were Hamas observation posts in the northern Gaza Strip. Four Palestinian civilians were reportedly injured, including a 16-year-old boy.

On 1 January, Israel Defense Forces announced that two rockets fired from Gaza had landed off the coast of central Israel. Israeli forces subsequently carried out air strikes against what they said were facilities belonging to militant groups in Gaza. No injuries were reported.

In the occupied West Bank, six Palestinian men, were killed by Israeli security forces (ISF), and another died in unclear circumstances, in the context of demonstrations, clashes, search-and-arrest operations, attacks and alleged attacks against Israelis, and other incidents, and 249 Palestinians, including four women and 46 children, were injured. Settlers and other Israeli civilians perpetrated 28 attacks against Palestinians, resulting in six injuries and damage to property. Two Palestinians were killed under unclear circumstances involving Israeli civilian vehicles.

In all, Palestinians perpetrated some 89 attacks against Israeli settlers and other civilians, resulting in 15 Israeli civilians injured and damage to property in clashes, shootings, stabbing and ramming attacks, as well as incidents involving the throwing of stones and Molotov cocktails and other incidents. Five members of Israeli security forces were also injured.

On 21 December, a Palestinian man, who reportedly attempted to carry out a ramming attack against ISF near the Mevo Dotan settlement in the northern West Bank, was killed by ISF.

On 22 December, a Palestinian man was killed by ISF near al-Amari refugee camp near Ramallah. According to ISF, the man had opened fire from a vehicle at Israeli forces conducting a search-and-arrest operation in the area.

On 31 December, a Palestinian man reportedly attempted to carry out a stabbing attack against Israeli soldiers and civilians near the village of Salfit and was shot by ISF, later succumbing to his wounds.

On 6 January, a 21-year-old Palestinian man was killed during armed exchanges with ISF as they conducted a search-and-arrest operation in the Balata Refugee Camp near Nablus, in Area A.

On 5 January, a tow truck under the supervision of the Israeli police hit and severely injured a 70-year-old Palestinian activist man in Umm al-Kheir, south of Hebron, during a police operation to confiscate unregistered vehicles. The man subsequently died from his injuries on 17 January. Police reported that the driver was injured in the head by stones thrown at him and required medical attention.

On 12 January, an 80-year-old Palestinian man died in the context of an ISF operation near Ramallah where the victim was reportedly handcuffed, blindfolded and physically assaulted by the ISF. According to Israel Defense Forces, the man was released alive. I note that Israeli authorities have initiated an investigation and call for a swift, thorough and transparent outcome.

On 17 January, ISF reported that a Palestinian man attempted to stab a soldier with a knife near Hebron. ISF shot and killed the alleged assailant. No ISF injuries were reported. Another Palestinian, who had driven the vehicle of the alleged assailant, later handed himself over to ISF.

Madam President,

Settler-related violence remained a serious concern throughout the reporting period.

From 23 to 25 December, 156 Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces from rubber bullets and 15 from live ammunition in confrontations that erupted in and around Burqa, near Nablus, after settlers repeatedly raided the village, vandalized property and clashed with local residents. This occurred as part of settler protests against the killing of an Israeli settler in that area on 16 December and demands to reestablish the adjacent settlement of Homesh that had been officially evacuated in 2005.

On several occasions during the reporting period, ISF and Israeli settlers clashed in the context of ISF efforts to dismantle unauthorized structures set up by Israeli settlers in Homesh and other outposts, illegal also under Israeli law.

All perpetrators of violence must be held accountable and brought swiftly to justice.

Madam President,

Turning to settlement-related developments, on 5 January, Israeli authorities postponed a planned discussion on objections to two plans for some 3,500 housing units in the controversial E1 area in the West Bank. A new date for the discussion has not been set.

The same day, Israeli authorities published tenders for some 300 settlement housing units in the Talpiyot East neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem.

On 10 January, the Jerusalem District Planning Committee advanced a plan, pending revisions, to build some 800 housing units in place of an existing 182 units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Gilo.

On 17 January, the Jerusalem District Planning Committee advanced a plan for some 1,200 housing units next to Kibbutz Ramat Rachel in the southern Jerusalem area, a significant number of which are intended for construction across the Green Line in East Jerusalem.

I reiterate that all settlements are illegal under international law and remain a substantial obstacle to peace. I call on the Government of Israel to cease the advancement of all settlement activity immediately.

Madam President,

Israeli authorities demolished, seized, or forced owners to demolish 54 Palestinian-owned structures, in Area C and 23 in occupied East Jerusalem, displacing 102 Palestinians, including 26 women and 47 children. The demolitions were carried out due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain.

On 19 January, Israeli forces evicted a Palestinian family and demolished their home in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, displacing 12 Palestinians, and reportedly resulting in a number of arrests. According to the Jerusalem Municipality, the structures were built illegally in recent years and the land was cleared to build a special needs school to serve Palestinian children from East Jerusalem.

I still remain concerned by the potential eviction of a number of Palestinian families from homes they have lived in for decades in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods of East Jerusalem and the risk that such actions pose for escalating violence.

I call on Israeli authorities to end the displacement and eviction of Palestinians, in line with its obligations under international law, and to approve additional plans that would enable Palestinian communities to build legally and address their development needs.

Madam President,

On 28 December, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz for the second time in four months. Following the meeting, Israel announced several measures, including updating the registration of some 9,500 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, an advance of 100 million Israeli Shekels against clearance revenues Israel collects on the PAs behalf and additional entry permits for Palestinian officials and businesspeople.

I welcome the ongoing high-level engagement between Israeli and Palestinian officials and the recent steps announced. I urge both sides to continue and expand this engagement to encompass underlying political issues.

Following the designation by Israel of six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organizations, the United Nations continues to engage with all relevant parties to receive more information about the allegations and their implications.

On 12 January, the Palestinian Central Elections Commission (CEC) concluded voter registration for the second phase of local council elections scheduled for 26 March. However, on 17 January, the Palestinian Cabinet postponed local council elections in Gaza over procedural disputes.

On 14 January, the Envoys of the Middle East Quartet met virtually to discuss the latest political development and the situation on the ground.

Madam President,

Turning to Gaza, during the month of January 2022, Israeli authorities completed the issuance of permits to some 10,000 Gazan merchants and traders, of some 12,000 approved permits, the highest number in years.

I welcome the stated willingness of the Government of Israel, in line with commitments made in the November 2021 at the AHLC meeting in Oslo, to increase the movement of goods and people in and out of the Strip and the steps taken in this regard. At the same time, I reiterate that more such moves are needed for durable economic benefits to materialize. I urge both parties to engage with the UN to find concrete ways to further enhance access and trade, including facilitating the entry of dual-use materials for key sectors of the economy under the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism.

On 27 December, the State of Qatar announced that it had signed an agreement with the Palestinian Authority and the Gaza Electricity Distribution Corporation to advance construction of a natural gas pipeline from Israel to Gaza. The pipeline aims to reduce costs and increase efficiency and electricity generation at the Gaza Power Plant. I urge all parties to facilitate implementation of this important project.

On 28 December, UNRWA announced the start of a cash assistance allocation of USD 8.2 million to families whose homes were damaged during the May 2021 escalation.

Thanks to exceptional financial contributions, an advance on 2022 contributions, a CERF loan and debt carried into 2022, UNRWA was able to sustain critical education, health care and humanitarian services to millions of Palestine refugees in the OPT and throughout the region. For 2022, UNRWA is again presenting a zero-growth core Programme budget despite increased needs of Palestine refugees. The Agency is confronted with a serious financial existential threat that can affect the rights and wellbeing of refugees and regional stability. I, therefore, urge Member States to continue, and to expand, their contributions to UNRWA.

Madam President,

Turning briefly to the region, on the Golan, while the ceasefire between Israel and Syria has been generally maintained, violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement by the parties continue, increasing tensions. It is important that the parties respect their obligations under the terms of the Agreement and refrain from taking unilateral steps on the occupied Golan that further erode peace and stability in the region.

During a visit to Lebanon in December, the Secretary-General expressed solidarity with the Lebanese people in the context of the countrys difficult socio-economic situation and reiterated the need for political leaders to work together urgently to find solutions to the crisis. Parliamentary elections have been announced for 15 May. The full reactivation of the Cabinet will be important, including to reliably support election preparations.

The situation in the UNIFIL area of operations remained relatively stable, despite isolated incidents of aggressive behavior against peacekeepers. UNIFIL remains engaged with the parties to contain incidents and defuse tensions along the Blue Line.

Madam President,

In closing, allow me to reiterate the urgent need for a coordinated approach to address political, economic and institutional obstacles blocking the way to a meaningful peace process.

Alongside key reforms and steps by all parties to defuse tensions, we must focus on providing a political context that will ensure that the positive engagement we have witnessed in recent months is not squandered. Partners, including those in the region, have a vital role to play.

Efforts must also continue to encourage all Palestinian political factions towards political consensus and bringing Gaza and the occupied West Bank under one legitimate, democratic Palestinian authority. Gaza remains integral to a future Palestinian State as part of a two-State solution.

Short-term challenges and urgent crises must be addressed. Yet, at the same time, we must ensure that the solutions put in place advance our ultimate goal: an end to occupation and the achievement of a two-State solution on the basis of UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements.

The UN will continue to actively engage, along with its counterparts in the Middle East Quartet, with regional and international partners, and with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to reach a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Thank you.

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Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question (as delivered by SC Wennesland), 19 January 2022 -...