UN: Palestinians, Israelis must not lose opening for peace

U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry said Tuesday that the Palestinian and Israeli leaderships must not lose the opportunity to seriously consider U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s “promising opening” last week in the diplomatic efforts to resume their stalled peace negotiations. “This is the moment to translate our collective call for action into a shared sense of urgency in supporting leaders on both sides as they must realize that this in an opening they cannot afford to lose,” Serry told the U.N. Security Council during its monthly meeting on the situation in the Middle East. The special coordinator said that progress “necessitates serious political commitments if leaders on both sides are to achieve the vision of the two-state solution they have both agreed on.” Palestinian Ambassador to the U.N. Riyad Mansour told the council, “We are at a crossroads, and we are ready to seriously engage in direct negotiations in good faith.” “If the opportunity for peace before us is lost, it will not be for lack of commitment by the Palestinian side or lack of effort by the international community, including the Arab States, whose Peace Initiative stands,” Mansour insisted. “Israel must choose peace, security, and coexistence over the continued occupation and domination of another people.” July’s council president, U.S. Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo, told the meeting that the challenges require some “very tough” choices in the days ahead. “Today, however, we are hopeful because the representatives of two proud peoples have decided that the difficult road ahead is worth traveling and that the daunting challenges that we face are worth tackling,” DiCarlo said.