As he departs his office, Mladenov warns about plight of Palestinians

In his final briefing as the UN’s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Nickolay Mladenov warned about plight of Palestinian people.
Some parting thoughts as I leave the post of #UN Special Coordinator for the #MiddleEast Peace Process https://t.co/c7kZBjE9FM
— Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) December 21, 2020
“Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Arabs have lived with conflict for too long. The painful reality of their struggle has affected every single family for generations. Loss and displacement is part of the personal history of every single household. Palestinians have been upended from their homes, forced to seek refuge across the region. Jews have been upended from across the region, forced to seek refuge in Israel,” Mladenov said.
He renewed his appeal for proper funding of UNRWA, highlighting the alarming fact that 2.45 million Palestinians, about 47 percent of the population, are in need of aid simply to survive.
The money would help to pay for the secular education of half a million Palestinian children, in addition to vaccinations and health clinics that care for more than three million stateless refugees who have nowhere else to turn for help.
“The agency is not only a lifeline for millions of Palestine refugees, and fully engaged in the fight against COVID-19, but it is also critical for regional stability,” Mladenov said.
He also pointed out the ongoing incidents of Palestinian children being killed at the hands of Israeli occupation forces.
“I am appalled that children continue to be victims, with a particularly troubling series of incidents over the past month in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” he said. “Children should not be the target of violence or put in harm’s way.”
He called both Israeli and Palestinian authorities to carry out “impartial and prompt” investigations into all allegations of excessive use of force.
He stressed, “Security forces must exercise maximum restraint and may use lethal force only when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.”
Mladenov also expressed concern about the “continued settler-related violence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
He urged Israeli authorities to abide by international law, protect Palestinians from violence by Israeli settlers and ensure that farmers can access their land freely and safely.
“The advancement of all settlement activity must cease immediately,” Mladenov added, because it constitutes a “flagrant violation of UN resolutions and international law.”
He also said he is “deeply concerned” by the continued seizures and demolitions of Palestinian schools and buildings used for humanitarian projects.
“I call on Israeli authorities to end the demolition of Palestinian property and the displacement and eviction of Palestinians.”
Norwegian veteran diplomat Tor Wennesland is the new UN’s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, who described by Mladenov as “one of the most capable diplomats I have ever worked with.”
“In January, my successor Tor Wennesland should take over this mission. He is one of the most capable diplomats I have ever worked with. I wish him every success in the years ahead and hope that you will extend to him your full support, as you have done to me.”