UN warns Middle East at 'grim crossroads' after year of 'war and bloodshed'

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN Middle East peace process coordinator warned Monday that the region stands at a "grim crossroads" following more than a year of devastating war and bloodshed.

"After over a year of horrific war and bloodshed, the region is at a grim crossroads," Tor Wennesland told the UN Security Council. "We are living a nightmare. The trauma and grief that has been unleashed is immeasurable."

Describing a dire picture of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, particularly in the northern areas, Wennesland said "humanitarian situation in Gaza, as winter begins, is catastrophic, particularly developments in the north of Gaza with a large-scale and near-total displacement of the population and widespread destruction and clearing of land, amidst what looks like a disturbing disregard for international humanitarian law."

He stated that conditions in Gaza are among the "worst" seen during the entire conflict, with no signs of improvement.

Expressing grave concern over the escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, he also described it as being trapped in a "destructive spiral of violence and hopelessness."

The UN envoy further criticized Israel's continued expansion of settlements, accusing the government of accelerating settlement activity and warning against calls by some ministers for the annexation of the West Bank and the re-establishment of settlements in Gaza.

"These dynamics exact a political toll, further undermining the Palestinian Authority, which continues to face an ongoing fiscal and institutional crisis," he said.

Wennesland warned that the institutional framework supporting the Palestinian people is "on the brink of dissolution," which could lead to even greater instability in the region.

"If the parties cannot find a path out of perpetual warfare, then the international community must define the path forward," he urged.

He stressed that Gaza must remain an integral part of a future Palestinian state, firmly rejecting any calls for long-term Israeli military presence or settlements in the territory.

"There should be no long-term Israeli military presence in Gaza, while at the same time Israel's legitimate security concerns, particularly in the wake of the acts of terror committed on 7 October, must be addressed. Calls for the reestablishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza must be firmly rejected and clearly opposed," Wennesland emphasized.

Wennesland called on the international community to act urgently, warning that failing to do so could exacerbate the already dire situation.