Gaza _ Palestine News Network
The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Nikolai Mladenov, said on Wednesday that Israel had unilaterally decided to detain 140 million dollars of tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority.
The detention of some $140 million in Palestinian funds is a serious development threatening the financial stability of the Palestinian and Israeli authorities, Mladenov said, noting that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned against making unilateral decisions.
He was briefed during a meeting of the UN Security Council on Thursday on the Palestinian issue, which was followed by the Sawa news agency.
Mladenov said the suspension of US security assistance to the Palestinians could affect efforts to bring the views closer, noting that the United Nations is working hard to safeguard the prospects and the possibility of a two-state solution, "but this is undermined by the situation in the field."
"The danger of war is on the horizon, and if we want the Palestinians and Israelis to return to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, they need the leadership that believes that peace is possible through negotiations, and an international community committed to supporting both parties to the conventions on the basis of United Nations resolutions or conventions," added Mladenov. Duo, understands that the weaker party is the Palestinian people who need to support more than ever ".
He stressed that the United Nations continues to work with all sides to provide security and welfare for civilians in Hebron and the rest of the Palestinian areas.
Mladenov called on Palestinian and Israeli leaders to abide by the UN resolutions, which have been consecrated for nearly a quarter of a century.
In a related context, the United Nations envoy said in his briefing that "despite Egypt´s tireless efforts to bring the Palestinian factions closer, Palestinian political movements are increasing the" separation "between Gaza and the West Bank."
"There is no justification for violence and terrorism, but violent events and demonstrations near the Gaza fence continue, where" three children were killed by Israeli live ammunition on Feb. 8, raising the number of children killed during marches since last March to 40, "Mladenov said.
Mladenov stressed that children should not be subjected to such harm and must be protected from lethal force.
"The firing of mortar shells, planes and fire balloons from Gaza must stop," he said, calling on Hamas to "ensure that the protest remains peaceful and that it prevents provocation near the fence." In his words.
He promised that Hamas´s continued hegemony over Gaza, Israeli cruelty and restrictions, and restrictive measures against the Palestinian Authority, "could lead to a blast," adding: "Continuing military reinforcements may lead the parties to war."
"As the prospect of reconciliation fades, Gazans consider that they have left their fate without representation, relief and access," he said, noting that the Palestinian Authority paid a reduced salary in February, while some 5,000 employees did not receive any salary or payment.
He spoke about the efforts of the United Nations to implement the package of urgent economic and humanitarian interventions in Gaza called for by the Liaison Committee at its meeting, stating that "Qatar has awarded $20 million to strengthen the work of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNRWA and the cash-for-work initiative".
He disclosed that this would create about 10,000 temporary jobs in Gaza, pointing out that the World Bank has initiated a similar program, "presumably providing 5,000 temporary jobs."
