Statement by H.E. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the UN at the UN Security Council Emergency Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question
New York, 11 August 2026
Thank you, Madam President,
I thank Deputy Special Coordinator, Ramiz Alakbarov, and Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, Hannah Suleiman, for their informative briefings.
Together with Denmark, France, Greece and the United Kingdom, Latvia has called for today’s meeting to underline that urgent steps are necessary to address the deteriorating situation in the West Bank. At a time when attention is focused on the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Plan in Gaza, developments in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, remain a matter of growing concern and must not be overlooked or viewed in isolation from enduring international efforts to achieve stability and peace in the region.
In the past seven months, the trajectory has been alarming. More than 1,380 settler attacks have been documented by the UN affecting over 250 Palestinian communities across the West Bank. This year alone, 77 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers. It is particularly appalling that one in five Palestinians killed in these violent incidents was a child. Three Israelis, including two members of the Israeli forces, have been killed by Palestinians in the West Bank during the same period. This violent environment fuels mutual hatred and leads to increasing security risks both for Palestinians and Israelis.
The humanitarian situation in the West Bank continues to deteriorate, driven by forcible displacement, settlement expansion, settler violence, and growing access constraints. Displacement has reached unprecedented levels this year, with July recording the highest number of people displaced since April 2025. Continued settlement expansion and the annexation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are not acceptable. We once again call on Israel to end its settlement policy and to ensure accountability for the attacks on and killings of civilians. International law and commitments, including Security Council resolution 2334, as well as all previous arrangements to which Israel has pledged itself, must be fully respected.
The increasing acts of violence and vandalism by settlers directed against religious sites and places of worship in the West Bank further inflame tensions in an already volatile environment. We call on Israel to abide by the historic status quo arrangements governing the Holy Sites in Jerusalem and protect and ensure the safety of all religious communities.
The extensive grid of checkpoints and roadblocks continue to make it difficult for Palestinians to access their workplaces and basic services, including schools and hospitals. Students have been affected by demolitions, military raids on educational institutions, and detention while travelling to school. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified human rights treaty, stipulates that every child has the right to education. Moreover, education is one of the strongest foundations for a lasting peace and reconciliation, to be fostered through a reformed curriculum that leaves no room for extremism. Access to healthcare is similarly affected, with patients, including children in need of specialized or emergency care, facing delays in reaching medical facilities. Safe and sustained access to education and healthcare, protection of civilians, and facilitation of rapid, safe, and unimpeded access to essential services must be ensured.
The measures contributing to the Palestinian Authority’s fiscal crisis and undermining the Palestinian economy are deeply concerning. Israel should ensure that the Palestinian banking sector can operate unobstructed and that withheld tax revenues are released, enabling the Palestinian Authority to meet its budgetary obligations and provide essential services. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority must fulfil its commitments and pursue meaningful, comprehensive reforms. This must include strengthening governance and accountability, addressing radicalization, ensuring the provision of basic services, including education in line with UNESCO standards, and reforming the payment system for families of prisoners. Concrete steps must also be taken to prevent incitement, discourage violence and promote peaceful coexistence. Progress on these commitments should be an essential part of international support for the Palestinian Authority and its institutions, while awaiting holding fair and inclusive elections as announced.
Madam President,
For decades we have witnessed that military power, as well as armed resistance, fuels the recurring cycle of violence, reignited by proponents of extreme views on both sides. This trajectory does not constitute a path to sustainable peace. Addressing both the security concerns and the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians requires renewed momentum. The full implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, as put forward by President Trump and endorsed by the Security Council in resolution 2803, requires genuine engagement by all parties. A political perspective encompassing Gaza and the West Bank is the only way to achieve long-term stability. In line with relevant Security Council resolutions and the New York Declaration, Latvia reaffirms its commitment to the two‑State solution and to contributing to the shared objective of peace and stability in the region.
I thank you.