Middle East

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

Warning that the recent deadly explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon marked a dangerous turning point, senior United Nations officials called for immediate de-escalation and ceasefire between all parties before a devastating war engulfs the entire Middle East.

In Somalia, the Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator has allocated $3 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund for an urgent response to displacement in the country.

The relentless expansion of Israeli settlements and escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are deeply alarming, the top United Nations official for the Middle East told the Security Council today, as delegates urged the organ to enforce its own demand for the occupier to cease such illegal activities.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) issued a statement today — jointly with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) — noting the presidency’s decision to extend the country’s transitional period by 24 months until February 2027.

Adopting a historic text demanding that Israel brings to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, no later than 12 months from the adoption of the resolution, the General Assembly today heard speakers stake out a range of positions regarding the best way to resolve this enduring crisis.

The following statement was issued today by the Bureau of the General Assembly’s Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People:

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) today issued its latest report on Myanmar, detailing a range of serious human rights violations that continue to underscore the deepening crisis and lack of rule of law throughout the country.

In an emergency special session that resumed today, the General Assembly began its consideration of a draft resolution demanding an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory within 12 months, as Member States voiced overwhelming support for the text.

In a statement issued on 15 September, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan called for the warring parties to refrain from targeting El Fasher and protect civilians. The International Organization for Migration estimated that at least 250 people were displaced in the latest round of fighting there.