Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia was extremely blunt in condemning Israel and the U.S. for the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and the deteriorating situation in the West Bank.
Since the end of May, Nebenzia said, 798 Palestinians have been killed while trying to obtain humanitarian assistance. The Gaza “Humanitarian” Foundation, instead of solving humanitarian tasks, is an insult to humanitarian efforts. He said: “We’re sure that the UN Secretariat made the right and responsible decision not to be part of this punitive action which is carried out under the guise of a humanitarian operation.”
“One thing is clear: if Israel facilitated rather than impeded UN humanitarian aid deliveries, there would be at least a glimmer of hope that the humanitarian crisis could be alleviated,” said the Russian diplomat. “Today, however, we have no hopes whatsoever, and the mass collective punishment of Palestinians in violation of basic International Humanitarian Law norms continues before our very eyes.”
“This situation requires the strongest international response. Protecting and providing for civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories is Israel’s duty as the occupying power, and it’s not for Israel’s leaders to decide if it’s okay or not.”
If you thought the situation could not get worse, you would be wrong. The plan of moving, first 600,000, and then more Palestinians, into what is essentially a concentration camp, as assessed by former prime minister Ehud Olmert, is unacceptable, he said.
“If anyone thinks that the situation in Gaza simply cannot get any worse, they are most likely mistaken. According to the information we have, including from official Israeli sources, West Jerusalem is drafting a new plan to transfer 600,000 Palestinians to a so-called “humanitarian city” in Rafah…. The goal is to eventually concentrate the entire 2 million population of the enclave there…. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has already described the plan as ‘the de facto creation of a mass concentration camp’ … [and] that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert shares this assessment….”
“This is the only way to break the vicious circle of violence and restart the Middle East peace process on the basis of the two-state solution, the ultimate goal of which is the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, coexisting in peace and security with Israel….” he said. “In this context, we [Russia] welcome the intention of Saudi Arabia and France to hold a high-level international conference in support of the two-state formula, which is to take place at the of the months (July 28-30) in New York.”
