In an effort to sway UN Security Council members ahead of today’s emergency consultation on the recent unrest in Jerusalem, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has sent each of their delegations a communique that includes video clips of Palestinians hurling rocks and other objects at Israeli troops on the Temple Mount/al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
The video comes with a message asserting that Israel is committed to maintaining the status quo on the Temple Mount, an Israeli official confirmed to The Times of Israel.
The Palestinian UN Mission has also been in touch with Security Council members, sending updates of its own on the volatile situation at the holy site from the past several days, a UN diplomat familiar with the matter says.
The Palestinian mission is pressing members to issue a joint statement “breaking its silence” on the matter and ostensibly condemning Israeli conduct on the Temple Mount, but is not optimistic about the prospects of getting the entire council on board, the diplomat says.
Before entering the emergency consultation, Norway’s Ambassador to the UN Mona Juul tells reporters that the delegation pushed for the meeting because “it is very important that the council meet, discuss… [and] call for restraint on all sides in order to de-escalate a very worrying situation… at risk of further escalation.”
“We as Norway are sending a very strong signal today by calling for this meeting,” she says.
Members will receive an update from UN Mideast Envoy Tor Wennesland on what has been taking place on the ground over the past few days along with his efforts to deescalate.
Juul admits that a joint statement on the situation, which would require the approval of all Security members, is unlikely, “but even if we don’t get any agreement on a statement, we think that the fact that the council meets, that we hear an update on the situation, and that the council continues to have focus on the situation in the Middle East, especially now when we have another risk of de-escalation” is important.