In his speech, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, voiced his concern about the escalating violence, especially in the West Bank.
He held that people of both Israel and Palestine need to be equally entitled to protection measures, calling on all the parties concerned, especially authorities of Israel, to exercise self-restraint to avoid inciting more violence.
Regarding solutions for the time ahead, he urged the parties concerned, particularly Israel, to seriously implement the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2334, halt the expansion and construction of resettlement areas, and stop the demolition of houses and the eviction of Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Giang opined that the implementation of Resolution 2334 is beneficial to Israel’s security itself.
The diplomat also affirmed Vietnam’s support for parties to play an active role in the peace process, including diplomatic efforts by the Quartet, the Arab Peace Initiative, as well as any initiative by the international community that is beneficial to the region.
Vietnam welcomes the Israeli Prime Minister’s recent statement on supporting the two-state solution, and also welcomes Palestinian organisations reaching an agreement in Algeria which includes the organisation of elections in the future, he added.
The Vietnamese representative noted that while pending a comprehensive, durable, and equitable solution to the Palestine issue, it is necessary to continue paying due attention to humanitarian assistance to help Palestinians in the current trying times.
At the open debate, other participants also expressed their concerns about the escalating violence. Most of them showed objection and appealed for an end to Israel’s expansion of resettlement areas in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, along with its demolition and confiscation of Palestinian property, which they said have violated Resolution 2334.
Some countries called on the parties concerned to exert efforts to promote the stagnant peace process. Many also stressed the importance of humanitarian relief for Palestinian people.
Resolution 2334, adopted by the UN Security Council in 2016, affirms that the resettlement areas built by Israel in the occupied territories since 1967 are invalid. It requests Israel immediately cease the construction of new structures and calls on all the parties concerned to end violent acts and work towards substantive negotiations on all the final status issues in the Middle East peace process.
