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Middle East


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Divisive positions among Israelis and Palestinians following last month’s adoption of resolution 2334 (2016) risked destroying the prospects for peace, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council today, stressing that both sides must create the conditions for launching direct final-status negotiations.

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council today that despite the relative tranquillity of the Israel-Palestinian conflict compared to other regional crises, the spectre of violence is always near.  He said that all stakeholders must avoid any unilateral action that would prejudge a negotiated final status solution.

A report published today by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Human Rights Office details grave human rights abuses as well as serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Juba during and after the fighting that occurred between 8 and 12 July 2016.

The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process said authorities must cooperate to resolve the electricity crisis in Gaza, noting that he is closely following the tense situation unfolding mid-winter after 2 million Palestinians can access only two hours of electric power daily.

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PRETORIA, 1 September — Amid news in the mainstream media of suicide attacks, continued violence, hate speech and besieged areas, political satire could be used to challenge commonly held beliefs about conflict, speakers at the International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East said today, stressing its inherent value in promoting peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

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PRETORIA, 31 August — The 2016 International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East opened in Pretoria today, with well-known film-makers, journalists, politicians, academics and other experts exploring new ways to narrate the complex and evolving story of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.