Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Peacekeeping Freedom Of Movement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Agency official says peacekeepers have faced blockages, urging freedom of movement
Summary
An agency official reported people returning to heavily damaged neighborhoods and that peacekeepers patrolling the area have at times been blocked — including by Israeli forces using vehicles — and stressed the need for unrestricted movement to carry out impartial tasks and report to the Security Council.
An agency official reported that residents are returning to "a very different scenario," with many homes and neighborhoods seriously damaged or destroyed and rebuilding possible only in parts of the area of operations. The official said some villages close to the blue line remain inaccessible and residents there cannot return.
The official said peacekeepers are able to monitor and patrol throughout the area of operations but have encountered multiple kinds of blockages. "These can be anything from debris and rubble in the roadways, unexploded ordnance blocking our path," the official said, adding that such obstacles must be removed to allow movement. The official also said, "But in some cases, we have been blocked by Israeli forces whether, it's through, through blocks, or through, the blockages using tanks and other vehicles." The speaker characterized these incidents as usually short lived and said they have not affected the mission's ability to perform its work.
Why this matters: the official emphasized that peacekeepers require freedom of movement to carry out their duties impartially and to report to the Security Council. "We remind everyone that peacekeepers have freedom of movement," the official said, adding that that freedom is necessary to perform tasks effectively and to provide reports to the Security Council.
The remarks combined on-the-ground operational details — damage to civilian areas, physical obstacles such as rubble and unexploded ordnance — with an account of encounters with forces that have temporarily impeded patrols. The official did not provide counts of blocked incidents, locations beyond "villages close to the blue line," or timing for any changes in access. No formal actions or votes were reported in this exchange.
