UN urges more diplomacy after Israel, Palestine officials meet

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The UN's special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict urged the parties on Monday to hold additional rounds of high-level talks following a meeting between Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Gantz and Abbas met in Ramallah in an exceptionally rare sit-down on Sunday that marked the first official meeting between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israeli government since 2014.

Tor Wennesland, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's envoy for the conflict, encouraged "more Ministerial-level engagement, particularly to advance financial and economic cooperation."

"I hope that such contacts can result in bringing the parties in a position to advance unresolved issues, including political ones and those related to the implementation of agreements made by the parties," he told the Security Council.

Wennesland continued to raise alarm over the PA's "dire financial situation," which he said may "affect all Palestinians."

"It is critical that the PA be empowered to exercise its responsibilities throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including on reconstruction in the Gaza Strip," he said.