The UN Security Council has called an emergency meeting to discuss the escalation between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
A statement by Palestinian envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour said the meeting will be held on Monday.
As the PA only has observer status at the UN, the meeting was requested by the United Arab Emirates. The petition was endorsed by China, which currently heads the UNSC, as well as by France, Ireland and Norway, an official with the Gulf emirate's Foreign Ministry said.
In light of the concerning developments in #Gaza, the UAE, along with @franceonu, @irishmissionun, @NorwayUN and @Chinamission2un called for a closed meeting to be held on Monday 8th of August. pic.twitter.com/czwE8tX83v
— Shahad Matar (@UAEUNSpox) August 6, 2022
The meeting will focus on "the current developments and ways to support international efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace," the official said.
On Friday, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland expressed his alarm and "deep concern" over the fighting between Israel and the Gaza Strip-based Islamic Jihad over the weekend but seemed more concerned with the fate of the terrorist group's officials than with Israeli civilians who have been under nonstop rocket fire.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Wennesland appeared to lament the targeted elimination of Tayseer Jabari, the PIJ's commander in northern Gaza, which was the opening strike of Operation Breaking Dawn, an extensive Israeli counterterrorism campaign against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza.
The fighting so far has seen Gaza terrorist fire over 580 rockets at central and southern Israel. some 120 of them hits inside Gaza, with one flattening a house in Jabaliya and causing the tragic death of seven civilians, including four children. The Palestinians tried to blame Israel for the incident but the IDF's footage of the area unequivocally proves that it was a PIJ rocket that hit the building.
תיעוד הירי הרקטי הכושל של גא״פ בג׳אבליה: pic.twitter.com/wfiOsQ3l3c
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 7, 2022
A military spokesman told reports that IDF radars "picked up the launch and the impact. You can clearly see it was them [the PIJ] failing and hitting themselves." Another officer said the IDF has "videos that prove beyond any doubt that this was not the result of an Israeli strike. It has been unequivocally proven that it was a failed Islamic Jihad rocket launch."
This, however, did not prompt Wennesland to walk back to his previous statement, in which he said he is "deeply concerned by the ongoing escalation between Palestinian militants and Israel, including the targeted killing of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader inside Gaza.
"I am deeply saddened by reports that a five-year-old child has been killed in these strikes. There can be no justification for any attacks against civilians.
"The continuing escalation is very dangerous. The launching of rockets must cease immediately, and I call on all sides to avoid further escalation," he said, in what seemed to be an offhand acknowledgment of the rocket fire on Israel.
Deeply concerned by the ongoing escalation between #Palestine|ian militants & #Israel, including the targeted killing today of a PIJ leader inside #Gaza.
Don't let the situation slide into the avoidable.
My full statement 👇
🔗https://t.co/S1Qd8441SP pic.twitter.com/qHJ4Ckalzq— Tor Wennesland (@TWennesland) August 5, 2022
"The UN is fully engaged with all concerned in an attempt to avoid a further conflict which would have devastating consequences, mainly for civilians. The responsibility is with the parties to avoid this from happening."
Wennesland's apparent concern for the terrorist group in Gaza irked Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan, who responded, "While the Palestinian Islamic Jihad is launching missiles at Israeli civilians, the UN envoy expresses 'deep concern for the elimination of a senior terrorist behind an imminent attack on Israelis. Will he also expressed deep concern over the elimination of al-Zawahiri?," he asked referring to the al-Qaida leader eliminated by the United States last week.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
