The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday presented four options aimed at boosting the protection of Palestinians in Israeli-occupied territories.
The proposed options included sending UN rights monitors and unarmed observers and deploying a military or police force under UN mandate.
The proposals were contained in a 14-page report requested by the General Assembly in response to a surge of violence in Gaza where 171 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since late March.
In the 14-page report Guterres proposed:
– Providing a “more robust UN presence on the ground” with rights monitors and political officers to report on the situation.
– Pouring in more UN humanitarian and development aid to “ensure the well-being of the population.”
– Creating a civilian observer mission that would be present in sensitive areas such as checkpoints and near Israeli settlements with a mandate to report on protection issues.
– Deploying an armed military or police force under a UN mandate to provide physical protection to Palestinian civilians.
A UN mandate for a protection force would require a decision from the Security Council where the United States could use its veto power to block a measure opposed by Israel.
