Both UNA-UK’s Chairman, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, and Executive Director, Natalie Samarasinghe, have been busy with media engagements on the recent escalation of violence in Gaza.
Earlier today on Sky News, Sir Jeremy was interviewed in light of the UN Security Council's call for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire. He explained that whilst the UN has outlined the principles for a solution, it is up to those directly involved in the conflict to cooperate in the pursuit of peace, which needs to be based on a two-state solution.
Sir Jeremy mentioned that there does not appear to be evidence linking Hamas to the recent abduction of and murder of three Israeli teenagers, describing the resultant bombing of Gaza as “a meaningless conflict which is making the lack of trust and sympathy between the two sides that much worse”.
He added: “I’ve been working for some time trying to encourage Hamas to stop using violence, but when they’re in a cage and when they are attacked as a result of something extraneous to their internal politics then they feel they have to fight back…the lack of international sympathy is shameful.”
Speaking on BBC Scotland’s breakfast show on 26 July as Saturday's 12-hour ceasefire was beginning, Natalie Samarasinghe highlighted the different ways, both visible and unseen, in which the UN was seeking to make progress during this window. She noted the life-saving work being carried out by agencies such as the UN Relief & Works Agency - now sheltering over 160,000 Gazans – and the World Food Programme, which was helping around the same number of people, in addition to the 280,000 it had already been assisting prior to the current crisis. This work was being supported by efforts to negotiate humanitarian access with Israeli and Egyptian authorities.
She also pointed to the mediation efforts by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who had been a "visible presence for peace" on the ground. Mr Ban held meetings in Jerusalem, the West Bank and wider region last week, in an attempt to secure a ceasefire and a return to dialogue. He also briefed the UN Security Council from Ramallah. However, she acknowledged the UN’s constraints in resolving the underlying conflict, emphasising the need for a concerted, unified approach by regional and major powers, which has hitherto been sorely lacking.
To date, according to the Palestinian health ministry, the recent violence has killed more than 1,030 Palestinians, mainly civilians. According to the Israeli army, it has lost 43 soldiers and two Israeli civilians have also been killed.
