New York, 3 December 2021 (TDI): The Russian First Deputy Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy; gave a speech at the UNSC meeting on the situation in the Middle East, on November 30.
The representative first thanked Tor Wennesland, for the briefing on the Middle East settlement State of Affairs. Polyanskiy mentioned that the timing of the meeting was symbolic as it was after the International Solidarity Day with Palestine.
Russian Deputy Polyanskiy then expressed the Russian concern for the inaction regarding the Middle East settlement process. He also mentioned that the Palestinian problem is its core issue and that it has generated instability for the region.
SITUATION OF THE WEST BANK AND THE GAZA STRIPS
Polyanskiy then stated that the tension around the West Bank and the Gaza Strips is not declining. According to him, there are risks of large-scale hostilities, like the armed scalation in May.
Russian Deputy Polyanskiy then stressed the responsibility of the international community to ensure stabilization, and to provide assistance to Palestinians. Those tasks also include creating the conditions for the resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian settlement within the international legal framework.
Polyanskiy expressed that Russia believes that its important to set efforts to consolidate the international consensus. He stressed the importance to include in those efforts, to coordinate the joint action to solve the Palestinian problem.
Polyanskiy announced the Russian positive assessment to the ministerial meeting of the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee results. The Committee convened the meeting in Oslo. He then acknowledged the contribution of Norway to organizing the meeting.
MIDDLE EAST QUARTET OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIATORS ON THE AD-HOC LIAISON COMMITTEE
Polyanskiy remarked that they acknowledged Norway for the organization because it proved that the international community’s attention to the situation does not decline. He then added that on the sidelines of the Committee, the Middle East Quartet of International Mediators convened its first meeting.
According to Polyanskiy, the Middle East Quartet is the only internationally-recognized mechanism to supervise the Palestinian-Israeli settlement. In the meeting of the Quartet, they adopted a statement to support the promotion efforts for the Middle-Eastern settlement.
Polyanskiy reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to supporting the activity of the Quartet. He then called for their partners to respond to the initiatives that were laid earlier, like the proposal for a Quarter Ministerial Meeting. Another proposal was the consultations of the extended format with the participation of the states of the region.
Polyanskiy also remarked that Russia’s count on the support of the international community for these initiatives. He then mentioned that Russia continues its interaction with the parties, and interested regional and also international stakeholders.
ABBAS VISIT TO SOCHI AND UNILATERAL ACTIONS
He also reminded the assistants of the meeting regarding the visit of the Russian President, on 23 November. That meeting was between Putin and President Abbas in Sochi, to reiterate their position regarding the Middle East settlement. According to Polyanskiy, that settlement is the two-state solution within the agreed international parameters.
The Palestinian side reaffirmed their readiness to dialogue. Polyanskiy also acknowledged that against this background, there are several unilateral actions. According to Polyanskiy, those actions are the expropriation and demolition of Palestinian property, construction of settlements, arbitrary detentions and arrests, violation of status of the Holy Sites.
Polyanskiy also expressed the Russian concern regarding the plans of Israel to expand its settlement activity in the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem. He also warned about the continuation of settlement-building and claims to double the number of Israelis living in the Jordan Valley by 2026.
That settlement-building and claims could be considered as de facto annexation of the major part of the occupied Palestinian territory. Polyanskiy remarked that Russia attaches significance to providing humanitarian assistance to people in the West Bank and Gaza. That assistance would also be to the Palestinian refugees in neighboring Arab states.
