By KUNA,
United Nations : The UN Security Council late Friday met behind closed doors to condemn the “resulting” settler violence against Palestinian civilians and property after their evacuation from Palestinian sites they seized by force in Hebron, and urged respect for the rule of law “without discrimination or exception.” Egyptian and Palestinian envoys described the council action as a “modest step in the right direction.” The council acted upon request from Egypt, as chairman of the Arab Group, and Cuba, as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, to urgently address the dangerous situation in Hebron in order to prevent the further escalation of violence.
Both groups expressed “grave alarm” at the recent rise of settler violence in the Hebron area where Israeli armed extremist settlers have been setting fire to Palestinian homes and orchards, shooting at Palestinians and desecrating their mosques and graves.
Summarizing the council’s deliberations in four “oral points,” not even in a press statement, council President Neven Jurica of Croatia told reporters the members “welcomed Israel’s evacuation of settlers from the compound in Hebron on December 4.” They “condemned the resulting settler violence, including against Palestinian civilians and property.” They urged respect for the rule of law without discrimination or exception and welcomed the efforts of the Israeli and Palestinian security services to restore calm.
They encouraged Israel and the Palestinian Authority to continue their security cooperation in the Hebron Governorate.
The council’s action, according to importance, is first a resolution, if not a presidential statement and if not a statement to the press, which is the weakest form of action. The council’s four “oral points” on Hebron carry no weight at all.
Egyptian envoy Majed Abdelaziz welcomed the results of the council’s consultations.
“This is a good sign after we insisted on having a council reaction today. We will follow up this matter with the council in the future if the situation so warrants,” he told reporters.
Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour also told reporters that the council’s condemnation of the settlers’ violence is a “modest step in the right direction.” But, he added, the “radical solution to the issue is the removal of the armed settlers from the old city of Hebron and for the council to provide protection to the civilian population.” The fact that the council was able to show a “small demonstration of condemnation of settlement activities should encourage us to continue on the path for reaching other conclusions in the direction of protection,” he said.
He expressed hope that the Quartet and the council will shoulder their responsibilities when they meet here later this month to discuss the peace process.
He added that the Palestinians will insist on “sweeping” the settlers from the old city of Hebron and from all the occupied land.