At the February 20th meeting of the UN Security Council, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nikolay Mladenov delivered the ALLMEP community’s message to the world, stressing the potentially disastrous impact of ending U.S. assistance to Palestinians and highlighting the vital work of civil society in the region at yesterday’s meeting of the UN Security Council as he stated:

The recent halting of U.S. assistance to Palestinians may also impact ongoing efforts to bridge existing divisions. The ending of vital training, facilities, and equipment support, could potentially risk security coordination. I encourage ongoing efforts to ensure that this critical assistance is continued. The important work being carried out by civil society organizations working towards peace is also under threat and I hope that donors will continue their support to civil society, which serves a critical role in preserving the fraying links between Israelis and Palestinians.

Click to watch a clip of Mladenov’s speech or read the full transcript.