The Economic and Social Council concluded the third round of Coordination and Management meetings of its 2017 session today, adopting eight decisions on civil society’s participation within the United Nations and filling vacancies on several of its subsidiary bodies.
Swift, decisive action was required to revive negotiations and end the crisis in Jerusalem and beyond before rising tensions dragged both Israel and Palestine into a vortex of violence and a religious conflict, the Special Coordinator of the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council today.
The Economic and Social Council adopted seven resolutions and one decision on issues ranging from Haiti’s long-term development, to the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation, and support for Non-Self-Governing Territories, as it launched the third round of its 2017 Coordination and Management Meetings today.
The Security Council today commended the commitment of the people and Government of Liberia to peace and to developing democratic processes, welcoming the new peacebuilding plan and noting the importance of upcoming presidential and legislative elections.
The Security Council today welcomed recent positive political developments in some West African countries, but expressed concern over the threat of terrorism in the region — including attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) — as well as a worsening humanitarian situation.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, 21 July — The International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem concluded this afternoon with the introduction of a communiqué on behalf of its organizers condemning the recent closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and restrictions on worshippers therein, as well as a discussion of legal issues related to the 50-year-old Israeli occupation.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, 21 July — Participants in the International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem continued to explore the specific impacts of the Israeli occupation on the city’s economy, development and social life — as well as opportunities for support from both donors and investors — as the meeting entered its second and final day.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, 20 July — Against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the holy city of Jerusalem — sparked by the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the imposition of restrictions on worshippers following a recent violent incident — the fourth International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem opened in Baku this morning, with speakers voicing concern that such actions could drive the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a religious confrontation with dangerous repercussions.
The Security Council today unanimously adopted a resolution reinforcing its resolve to adapt to evolving terrorist threats, encouraging Governments to update their methods for cutting off funds to terrorist groups, preventing their travel, banning them from acquiring arms and ensuring that sanctions were fully implemented.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, 20 July — Warning that tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem had reached a breaking point, speakers outlined a range of challenges — from increasing discrimination against Palestinian women to a recent “weaponization of religion” at the Al-Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount — as the International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem held its first plenary session this afternoon.
