Vietnam calls for end to violence in West Bank

New York (VNA) - Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, expressed his concern about continued violence in the Occupied Palestine Territory, particularly in the West Bank, two months after the ceasefire was announced, while addressing the UN Security Council’s open debate on the Middle East on July 28.

He urged the Israeli authorities to refrain from the use of excessive force, especially of live ammunition against civilians, saying that “the rhetoric and provocative actions that contributed to the dangerous dynamics on the ground must stop”. 

Pointing to the root causes of the conflict, Quy said the incident in the illegal outpost of Evyatar last week was a typical example of how settlement activities can spark violence and called upon Israel to end such activities immediately and respect the historical significance and status quo of the holy cities of Jerusalem. 

The lack of progress in the peace process has undermined remaining hopes for peace, he said, welcoming recent positive signals towards dialogue and urging the parties’ leaders to revitalise the peace process. 

Particularly concerned about the plight of children during decades of conflict, Quy called on the relevant authorities and the international community to redouble their efforts to stop the violence and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, which is more critical than ever for Palestinian civilians, particularly in Gaza.

Many speakers urged the parties involved to exercise maximum restraint during the current, highly fragile period, and asked them to refrain from any provocative actions that could further heighten tensions.

Lynn Hastings, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, outlined urgent assistance being provided by the United Nations and its partners on the heels of 11 days of clashes in Gaza two months ago. 

She said that, beyond the human tragedy for both Palestinians and Israelis, a recent Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment by the United Nations, European Union and the World Bank estimated the physical damage to Gaza to be between 290 million USD and 380 million USD, and additional economic losses to reach up to 200 million USD. 

Calling on Israel to allow the unhindered entry of all humanitarian aid, she also called on Hamas and other armed groups to stop launching incendiary devices, rockets and mortars and end their militant build-up./.