While some in the international community were trying to breathe life into what seemed to be a dying peace process in the Middle East, Israel had unleashed its military, sowing death and destruction in Gaza, the Security Council heard today as it met in the wake of escalating deadly violence in the Gaza Strip. The emergency meeting was in response to a week-long Israeli military incursion into the Gaza Strip that has left 83 Palestinian dead and many more wounded, following rocket attacks against Israeli targets by Palestinian militants, which killed two Israeli children. Most of the 29 speakers today warned that the recent violence had imperilled the hope for peace, with many urging both sides to give up the violence and return to their obligations under the Road Map. Read more about Security Council considers resolution on Israeli military actions (1/2) 

The ongoing violence in Gaza, on top of the sharply deteriorating humanitarian situation this year, is pushing the Palestinian population into a deep crisis, a dozen United Nations aid agencies working in the region warned today. They called on the Israeli Government to guarantee humanitarian agencies unrestricted and secure access into Gaza for both personnel and relief supplies, ensure the free movement of humanitarian goods and personnel within the territory, and respect its obligations under international humanitarian law by ensuring the safety of the Palestinian civilian population. Read more about Current violence pushing Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, UN agencies warn 

The members of the diplomatic Quartet, meeting today at United Nations Headquarters in New York, pledged support for the Road Map outline peace plan despite the lack of “significant progress” achieved so far. In a statement released after their meeting, the representatives of the UN, European Union, Russian Federation and United States called on Israel and the Palestinians to do more to bring peace to the region, including living up to obligations outlined in the plan. “The situation on the ground for both Palestinians and Israelis remains extremely difficult and no significant progress has been achieved on the Road Map.” Read more about Despite lack of progress, Quartet reaffirms support for Road Map 

With a marked increase in the number of casualties on both sides of the conflict, a resumption of suicide bombings, and no good news to report on the implementation of the “Road Map”, it had been a bad month in the Middle East, Under-Secretary-General Kieran Prendergast told the Security Council this morning. As had too often been the case in recent months, there was little positive and much discouraging to note and report, he said. Especially troubling was the continuing void in terms of an active peace process. Absence of hope for a peaceful settlement led to despair, strengthened extremists and was a sure recipe for continuing violence and instability. Read more about UN reports another 'bad month' in Middle East, calls for return to peace plan 

A new draft plan in support of Palestinian rights adopted by a non-governmental conference committee meeting at the United Nations calls for escalating pressure on Israel to end its occupation and threatens to seek divestment, arms embargoes and other sanctions in the event of non-compliance. The “2004-2005 Plan for Action to support Palestinian rights through international law and the United Nations” was presented to the International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People on the last day of a two-day meeting at UN Headquarters in New York after being adopted by its Steering Committee. Read more about Civil society meeting at UN seeks to end Israeli occupation of Palestine 

The main United Nations agency helping Palestinian refugees today handed over 103 new shelters in Rafah in the Gaza Strip for families whose homes have been demolished during the latest uprising against Israel, but the ceremony planned for the event had to be postponed due to ongoing Israeli military operations. The Israeli military has cut the Strip into three, cutting off access to Rafah, and operations in the north of Gaza prevented UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Peter Hansen from re-entering the area for the planned ceremony. Read more about UN replaces Palestinian refugee homes demolished by Israel 

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on Israel to cease its recently reported expansion of West Bank settlements, calling the practice a clear contradiction of the country’s obligations under the Road Map peace plan that provides for the establishment of two states - Israel and Palestine - by 2005. “The Secretary-General expresses strong concern over reports of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, through the Government of Israel’s recent publication of tenders for construction of new housing units,” a statement issued by his spokesman said. Read more about Annan calls on Israel to cease West Bank settlement expansion 

Developments since the International Court of Justice issued its advisory opinion on Israel’s construction of a wall in the occupied Palestinian territory and the General Assembly meeting that followed were less than promising, Palestine’s Observer Nasser Al-Kidwa told the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People this morning. Israeli officials rejected the opinion, spoke with disdain for the Court, its opinion and the Assembly, and stated its intention to continue its construction of the wall. Meanwhile, the situation on the ground has further deteriorated. Read more about Developments since World Court opinion on Israeli wall "less than promising" 

The current turmoil in the Palestinian Authority should prompt reforms, United Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today, spelling out measures that could serve to foster progress. “I really hope that as difficult and as complicated as the crisis is in Palestine that they will exploit this crisis positively and move ahead and really come out with some of the reform structures which are required, particularly in the security area,” he told reporters at a news conference in New York. Specifically, Mr. Annan called for consolidating the security structures, empowering the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior to “really take charge” and undertaking other reforms related to the Cabinet. Read more about Palestinian Authority should tackle crisis through reform, Annan says