Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops on the Gaza-Israel border, east of al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, on June 21, 2019 and at least 81 Palestinians were injured during the clashes. (Xinhua/Yasser Qudih)
UNITED NATIONS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to be locked in a dangerous paralysis that is fueling extremism and exacerbating tensions in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the UN political affairs chief said on Tuesday.
Addressing a Security Council's quarterly open debate on the Middle East, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, said that there is a growing risk of more unilateral actions and the loss of hope that peace can be achieved through negotiations.
According to DiCarlo, the District Court in Jerusalem last month ruled that four houses in the Alei Zahav settlement could be retroactively regularized under Israeli law, "despite having been built on private Palestinian land."
She reiterated that settlements remain a substantial obstacle to peace and are a violation of international law.
Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures by Israeli authorities also continued, she said, adding that 66 structures were demolished or seized, overwhelmingly on the grounds of lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, this resulted in the displacement of 90 Palestinians, including 58 children, and affected the livelihoods of some 6,307 people.
The past month has again seen a reduction of violence in Gaza, while protests at the perimeter fence have continued, DiCarlo added.
One Palestinian was killed by Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and another 736 were injured, including 234 children and 39 women, DiCarlo condemned all attacks on Palestinian and Israeli civilians alike and called on all sides to refrain from violence.
"Yet, the root of Gaza's problems remains political."
She called on all Palestinian factions to take concrete steps to ensure the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under a single, democratic, and legitimate national government.
Gaza is, and must remain, an integral part of a future Palestinian state as part of the two-State solution, she added.
"We need to support creating an environment conducive to advancing peace and paving the way for negotiations on all final status issues, including Jerusalem," she said.
"In order to get there, we need leadership, political will, and a determination to make tangible progress, despite the difficulties."