| UN concerned at recent
Mideast violence UNITED NATIONS, May 18
(AFP) - The United Nations expressed concerns Wednesday about a recent upsurge in violence
between Israel and the Palestinians, saying it was undermining confidence between both
sides in the region.
"We are concerned by reports of a slow but steady increase in violent incidents,
compounding a corresponding deterioration in trust and confidence between the two
sides," said the UN's under secretary general for political
affairs Kieran Prendergast.
Prendergast, in a statement to the UN Security Council, said nonetheless that the
incidence of violence in general was still "far below" levels prior to the Sharm
el-Sheikh summit.
Current violence includes "attacks by Palestinian militants against Israelis, clashes
between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters, and Israeli arrest operations
against wanted militants," he said.
Prendergast added that it was "cause for grave
concern" that Israeli security forces were reporting they had intercepted "a
number of would-be suicide bombers in the West Bank."
He called on Israel to work directly with the Palestinians to ensure accords made at the
February 8 summit at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh were carried out.
The official told the Security Council that the Gaza Strip on Wednesday had seen renewed
violence after the Israeli army carried out its first air strike there since a January
truce.
In comments about Lebanon also, Prendergast said that since May 6 the United Nations has
had a team in place to provide technical aid to authorities organizing the upcoming
election.
The United Nations will also provide aid to international election observers to ensure
"proper coordination" between them, he said.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric also told reporters Wednesday that Carina Perelli, head of
the UN's electoral assistance division leading a team now in Lebanon, had decided to
lengthen her stay by one week "in order to continue her consultations ahead of the
parliamentary elections that begin on 29 May." |
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