For the first time since 1997 and just the second time ever, the Security Council held an Arria-Formula meeting focusing specifically on the issue of Palestine. Co-sponsored by the Permanent missions’ of Malaysia and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with assistance from the Israel-Palestine NGO Working Group, the meeting: "Reflections One Year Later and Charting a New Course for Gaza" featured briefings from speakers from civil society and academia, and was well attended by Council members and the UN community alike.
Security Council member states were largely represented at the highest level, and were constructive in their response to the four speakers' testimonies. Many member states welcomed the convening of the Arria-Formula Event, and issued their support for new Security Council initiatives that might arise. There was a general agreement that the current situation in Gaza is unsustainable and must be alleviated, with interventions focusing on the need to lift the blockade, for donor's to fulfil aid pledges, and for actors to ensure that steps are taken to prevent future hostilities.
Passionists International has been an active member of the Israel-Palestine NGO Working Group since 2002. The working group is a coalition of organizations that have meet to share information and advocate for a just peace in Israel and Palestine.
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A Booklet on Gaza Arria-Formula Meeting
The Israel-Palestine NGO Working Group, of which QUNO New York is a member, has published a booklet on the UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on Gaza, which took place in July. The booklet features the presentations made by the four expert speakers at the meeting, which was co-hosted by the Permanent Missions of Malaysia and Jordan to the UN. The speakers were Mr. Vance Culbert from the Norwegian Refugee Council, Mr. Ardi Imseis of Cambridge University, Ms. Tania Hary from Gisha, and Dr. Sara Roy from the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University.
