UN envoy warns West Bank, Gaza violence threatens region

Nickolay Mladenov (on screen), Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, addresses the UN Security Council as it considers the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. (File/SC Chamber/AFP)

• Violence has increased in the past month
• The UN called on leaders to resolve Palestinian-Israeli conflict

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Mideast envoy is warning of increased violence in the West Bank and Gaza “and the threat of a regional escalation.”
Nickolay Mladenov pointed to an increase of violent incidents in the past month, including West Bank settler-related violence and continuing tensions in and around Gaza.
He told the Security Council on Tuesday that violence is taking place “against the backdrop of the complete political deadlock of the Middle East peace process and the lack of any perspective to revive it.”
Mladenov said he and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have repeatedly warned that lack of political will and leadership to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of a two-state solution coupled with unilateral acts, including settlement building, extremist attacks, and other factors “create an explosive mix.”