Egypt at UNSC: No peace without application of UNSC resolutions

Egypt's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Ahmed Abul Gheit said that peace in the Middle East will never materialize unless the relevant UN Security Council resolution are implemented in full.

"The only path to-peace is the recognition of the Palestinian people's right in the determination of their future and the establishment of an independent state that would be capable of sustaining itself on the West Bank and Gaza with east Jerusalem as its capital," he told a UNSC session late Tuesday.

The 15-nation council convened last night to debate the situation in the Palestinian territories and put an end to the escalating violence.

"Security cannot be manipulated by one party only, but has to be extended equally to Palestinians and Israelis, so that the two can go to bed safely at night," he said.

"The shelling, violence, devastation and killings the Palestinian people are living in the West Bank and the siege clamped on the legitimate leadership of the people, is all due to the Israel government's conviction that only violence and repression could confront the Palestinian legitimate right to determine its future, that the Israeli occupation could last and that the 18-month Intifada could be quelled with military force," he added.

"The demolition of Palestinian institutions, infrastructure and economy and the killing of its leaderships, will neither end the cycle of violence in the Middle East nor intimidate Palestinians from maintaining their struggle," Abul Gheit said.

He called on the UNSC to confront this challenge, saying a real challenge existed today to the credibility of world conscience and ability to investigate matters in true occupied Palestinian territories and to also intervene to stop the violent practices by the Israeli occupation troops.

"To achieve a permanent and comprehensive peace based on international legitimacy resolutions, parties must return to the negotiating table and search for ways for the actual application of the principles of peace," he added.

"Towards this end, armed confrontations must stop and the Mitchell recommendations, Tenet understandings and other agreements reached between Palestinians and Israel must be implemented," he said.