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Palestinian Observer Once Again Urge UN Protection Force
Palestinian observer to the United Nations Nasser Al-Kidwa on Wednesday once again called for the establishment of a UN protection force for the Palestinians in the occupied territories so as to reduce the current tension between Israelis and Palestinians.
Speaking to the press before meeting with the 15-member of the United Nations Security Council, Al-Kidwa said the establishment and deployment of a UN force for the Palestinians would hopefully bring the whole situation back into control and restart the stalled peace process.
Noting a possible open debate of the Security Council on the Middle East situation on Thursday, Al-Kidwa said he was confident that the council's exercise would be a serious one, and it would be sending a right signal to the Government of Israel.
It was time for the Security Council to consider the situation once more and try to get its acts together about its necessary action, the observer said.
Citing changes of the membership of the Security Council and the attitude of some of its members, Al-Kidwa said that the Palestinians were trying their best to achieve, if possible, an adoption of a U.N. resolution which would establish a UN presence in the occupied territories.
This is the second time since last September that the Palestinians want the council to take action on the establishment of a UN protection force. The Palestinians push the Security Council to vote on such a resolution months ago but failed. .
Israelis and Palestinians are sharply divided over the international protection force. The Palestinians want a UN force to protect them because they do not trust Israelis, whose army they have confronted for months. And the Israelis do not trust the United Nations.
The recent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians were prompted by a visit on September 28 last year of Israeli's then opposition leader Ariel Sharon to a Jerusalem holy shrine.
The Security Council is scheduled to hold separate private meetings with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian observer to the UN Al-Kidwa Wednesday afternoon to discuss the situation on the ground.
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