Statement by Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar at the briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question

Thank you very much, Mr. President,

I also want to thank the two briefers Ms. De Meo and Mr. Hadi for their very clear messages.

From the beginning of the war, UNRWA has been the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza. We are therefore particularly pleased that, together with the large majority of UN Member States, all current and incoming Council members have joined the shared commitments on UNRWA, reaffirming the vital role of the agency.

While serving people on the ground, UNRWA has been facing continuous challenges. Among many, as we heard today, the alarming legislative proposals in the Knesset as well as decisions to replace UNRWA run services in East Jerusalem.

UNRWA has also paid one of the highest prices in Gaza, with 199 staff members killed and a high number of its installations damaged or completely destroyed. This includes the main UNRWA compound in Gaza. UNRWA facilities that were supposed to serve as designated shelters in times of conflict have turned into deathtraps for hundreds of displaced persons.  We echo the call of Commissioner General that irrespective of the perpetrator, there must be accountability for every blatant disregard of international humanitarian law.

Colleagues,

We have repeated many times our concern over the situation of groups in vulnerable situations, including children, women, older persons and others. Today, I would like to especially underline the need to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities.

As we mark the fifth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 2475, we are appalled by the circumstances in which persons with disabilities are living in Gaza: Profound physical distress, trauma, destruction of hospitals, lack of access to medical care, lack of psychosocial support, lack of access to sanitation and lack of access to assistive devices, many times due to dual use restrictions.

Colleagues,

Gaza is twice the size of Washington DC. It has been bombed over and over again for 10 months. There is probably nothing left there but a pile of rubble. The pile that continues to be bombed. On this small part of land, two million people are being chased from one corner to the other. They never know if they will reach the other corner fast enough to stay alive.

What are we, the Council doing? This is a question that we are getting from our citizens. We’ve had numerous briefings on the humanitarian situation, on hunger, on amputations without anesthesia, on attacks on humanitarian and medical personnel.

We adopted four resolutions, established a mechanism for humanitarian aid, called for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. But the nature of the briefings has not changed.

We have been waiting for ceasefire negotiations to finalize, and bring peace. For months, we have been waiting, supposedly getting closer and closer but never close enough to end the suffering. Meanwhile, we let Rafah happen.

My response to people in Slovenia was that we don’t have power to enforce a ceasefire. As a member of the Council we see our role as sending messages or offering proposals, putting pressure on other members, on those who can influence, on parties to act. But is it enough? I’m convinced we are all asking ourselves. Are we doing enough to end the suffering of civilians in Gaza?

I listen carefully to our statements on Gaza. Over months, our frustration about the lack of progress grew and so did emotions in our speeches. The situation should not make us tired, frustrated or helpless.

As Mr. Hadi said today, we shall never give up.

Martin Griffiths used to say: We continue to try. Indeed, we should continue to try. That’s why we were elected to the Council. That’s why we have meetings like today.

History is the harshest critic of inaction, and history is being written as we sit here today.

Colleagues,

Maybe we differ in nuances where the fault for not ending the suffering is, but we all share concern for the suffering of civilians. Maybe this is a good enough starting point – putting Gazans and hostages in the center of our efforts.

For us this would translate into the following actions of the Council, into the following fine-tuning of the resolution 2735:

One, to demand from Israel and Hamas the finalization of a ceasefire deal with a short deadline.

Two, to demand a pause in fighting while the ceasefire deal is being finalized. An Olympic truce if you want.

And three, and after that grace period, if a ceasefire deal is still not in place, we should take further action to make Hamas and Israel comply.

In addition, we believe it is time to start reflecting on the time beyond a ceasefire. To reflect how to support transitional governance in Gaza, on security arrangements, on bringing back normality to Gaza, to children there, if that is at all possible, on reconstruction, as well as on the final resolution of the conflict for two peoples and two states.

This is what we believe the Council could do to move beyond briefings and beyond lamenting over the humanitarian situation.

We are ready to engage. Again, we should start by putting civilians at the center of our action.

Thank you.

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