UN Special Coordinator : Prospects For Resumed Direct Palestinian-Israeli Talks Remain 'Dim'

NEW YORK, March 29 (Bernama) -- The situation between the Palestinians and Israel continues to remain "uncertain and difficult" amid dim prospects for resuming direct negotiations despite international efforts to have the exploratory talks continue under Jordanian auspices, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council Tuesday. "The events of the past month demonstrate a dangerous combination of no political progress, instability and violence on the ground, especially in Gaza, and an increasingly precarious situation for the Palestinian Authority," Robert Serry said at the regular monthly briefing on the region. Serry stressed that the difficult uncertainty surrounding it would have to be addressed at the next meeting of the diplomatic Quartet, comprising the United Nations, European Union, Russian Federation and the United States, on April 11, in Washington, D.C. It must "direct collective efforts to overcome gaps in trust and substance, so that we don’t lose sight of the ultimate and agreed goal of a two-State solution", he said. Couching his remarks in diplomatic finesse, Serry said that at present, however, the parties had not yet found sufficient grounds to resume the talks, adding that he had urged them in the meantime to avoid any provocation and to continue to make progress on the ground for the Palestinians. Unfortunately, the absence of a credible political horizon and a "dire financial situation" were beginning to undermine the viability of the Palestinian State-building effort. He urged donors to meet the Palestinian Authority’s US$1 billion financing requirement for 2012, and Israel to play its full role in remediating the situation, including by taking further steps to improve movement, development and trade in Gaza and the West Bank. He also spoke of "worrying developments" on the ground in March. In the West Bank, the number of Palestinians injured during Israeli search operations had tripled to 138, while stone-throwing by Palestinians had increased significantly alongside the use of Molotov cocktails. The number of demonstrations and riots had almost doubled, with at least 90 people injured, mostly in protest against Israeli actions, but also in reaction to the lack of progress in the Palestinian Authority’s reconciliation with Hamas. Large demonstrations were expected on March 30 - the commemoration of "Land Day" in several countries, he reported, underlining the right of peaceful protest but also the need for non-violence. He went on to report the confiscation of broadcasting equipment from Palestinian television stations in a dispute over radio frequencies. There were also continuing incidents of hunger strikes against administrative detention, under which some 300 Palestinians continued to be held, in addition to 4,400 detained overall, he said, reiterating that administrative detention must be exceptional and that those detained must be charged and face a fair trial or be released. Settlement activity, as well as incidents of settler violence and demolitions of Palestinian property also continued, he said. The United Nations office responsible for compiling claims of damage caused by construction of the separation barrier had collected more than 26,000 claims after concluding its work in four out of nine affected governorates, he said, urging sustained donor support for that effort. Turning to Gaza, he said the most extensive escalation of violence in two years had taken place there from March 9 to 13, when an Israeli strike against a militant leader had resulted in a four-day exchange of rockets and air actions, which had resulted in the deaths of 24 Palestinians, including five civilians. He welcomed Israel’s approval of key projects to be implemented by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), including 1,000 housing units, 10 schools, a road and water projects, as well as the lifting of some restrictions on exports. He reiterated that the goal remained the lifting of the closure regime within the framework of Security Council resolutions, particularly in respect of construction materials. He added that the extension of the fishing limit was particularly important for some 3,000 families. Turning to the latest developments in Syria, where 9,000 persons have been killed, according to "credible estimates", since the outbreak of the uprising, he reported that the violence on the ground continued unabated but the Syrian Government had written to Kofi Annan, Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, accepting his six-point plan, endorsed by the Security Council last week. Annan had in turn written to President Bashar al-Assad urging the Syrian Government to put its commitments into immediate effect and stressing that "implementation will be key". Serry added that the support of all regional and international actors was also critical to helping secure implementation at all levels and to creating "the conditions for a genuine political process that will meet the democratic aspirations of the Syrian people". He urged the Syrian Government to take "immediate steps" to show its readiness for a cessation of violence and a political process, issues on which Annan would also engage the opposition. It was also vital to ensure humanitarian access, he said, reporting that the Syrian authorities had invited United Nations agencies and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to participate in a Government-led humanitarian assessment from March 18 to 26. -- BERNAMA