Middle East

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Briefing the Security Council today on South Sudan, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations warned that the security environment remains extremely volatile and stressed that the country needs an effective and credible ceasefire.

In Ethiopia, the World Food Programme (WFP) said today that their funding — and food stocks — are quickly running out.  The country is struggling with the effects of devastating back-to-back droughts.  Some 7.8 million people need food assistance right now, and that number is expected to rise in the coming months after another failed rainy season.

The Secretary-General welcomed the establishment of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia.  The Mission is tasked with verifying the peace agreement commitments relating to reintegration of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) and implementation of security guarantees for the group and conflict-affected communities.

Breaking decades of diplomatic paralysis would require greater involvement by civil society in pushing Governments to take action to end Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, the 1997 Nobel Peace Laureate said today, the second and final day of the June Forum.

Today, in a message to a forum being held by the Palestinian Rights Committee to mark 50 years of occupation, the Secretary-General said it was time to return to direct negotiations and resolve all final status issues on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions, agreements and international law.