Palestinian issues

United Nations peacekeeping officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to sound alarms over deadly attacks perpetrated by fighters — presumed to be with the militant coalition known as CODECO — against displaced civilians in Ituri Province.  There are currently 1.7 million people displaced in Ituri.

Israel’s continued illegal settlement activities were signalling its blatant rejection of the two-State solution, the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine said today during a special meeting to observe the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestine People.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, observed on 29 November:

Media experts called for the broader application of solutions journalism — an approach focusing on problem-solving responses — in reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as the 2021 International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East concluded today.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the conference on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in Brussels today:

Speakers examined ways to revitalize the peace process for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as diplomats, journalists, media experts and youth representatives gathered virtually for the opening of the annual International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East today.

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East, today:

The World Food Programme (WFP) warns that 8.7 million people are at risk of facing famine-like conditions in Afghanistan, with an additional 14.1 million facing crisis levels of acute food insecurity.  Conflict has displaced more than 600,000 people and the country is experiencing drought following a poor rainy season.

The 2021 United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East will be held virtually this year on Tuesday, 16 November and Wednesday, 17 November.

The Bureau of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People expresses its deep concern at Israel’s decision of 22 October to designate as “terrorist organizations” six Palestinian human rights and humanitarian civil society organizations: Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association; Al Haq; Defense for Children International – Palestine; Union of Agricultural Work Committees; Bisan Center for Research and Development; and the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees.