Top UN envoy urges restraint after two Palestinians killed in Israeli operation

Robert Serry, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process

1 August 2011 – A senior United Nations envoy today called on Israeli authorities to exercise maximum restraint after two Palestinians were killed during a military operation in a West Bank refugee camp.

Robert Serry, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, voiced his deep concern at the deaths resulting from the operation conducted earlier today by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Qalandiya Refugee Camp near Ramallah.

Five Israeli soldiers were also injured in the operation, which the IDF carried out citing security reasons.

“The Special Coordinator calls upon the Israeli authorities to exercise maximum restraint and thoroughly investigate the incident. He also emphasizes the need for calm from all sides,” said a statement issued by his office.

Briefing the Security Council in New York last week, Mr. Serry had warned that the political process to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in “profound and persistent” deadlock, and called on the parties to work towards a two-State solution.

He added that efforts to find the necessary common ground for resumed negotiations have proven extremely difficult, given the differences and lack of trust between the parties.

Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been stalled since late September following Israel’s refusal to extend a 10-month freeze on settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory.

UN envoy