Israel

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ speech at the Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv today:

The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, expressed serious concern today at the mass hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons that began 38 days ago and has yet to be resolved.  He is especially alarmed by reports of Israel’s punitive measures against the hunger strikers.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights is extremely worried by reports suggesting the targeting of civilians over the past two weeks amid intense fighting between warring parties in Al Mokha in Taizz Governorate in Yemen.  The United Nations Refugee Agency has mobilized assessment teams and begun delivering emergency aid.

Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel — the fourth stop on his Middle East journey — in the early afternoon of Tuesday, 22 July, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was greeted by Ya’akov Peri, Minister of Science and Technology. From the airport, the Secretary-General travelled by road directly to Tel Aviv to meet at the Ministry of Defense with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon.