New York, United States – Liberia has called on the United Nations Security Council to take immediate steps against settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory, warning that continued construction could further undermine the territorial foundation needed for an eventual two-state settlement.
Liberia made the appeal Wednesday, August 26, during the Security Council’s 10,214th meeting, with Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy Permanent Representative Baba Sillah urging the Council to act before developments on the ground make a negotiated political settlement increasingly difficult.
Sillah placed the suspension of tenders for new settlement construction among three immediate measures Liberia believes could help create conditions for renewed movement toward peace in the Middle East.
Particular concern was raised over tenders involving 1,234 housing units in the E1 area, which the Liberian diplomat said form part of a larger plan involving 3,401 units.
For Liberia, the significance of the development extends beyond the construction of individual housing units.
Sillah argued that settlement expansion in the area could affect the territorial continuity and political viability of a future Palestinian state, thereby complicating efforts to preserve the possibility of two independent states living alongside one another.
He urged the Security Council to treat the issue with urgency as the international community continues to grapple with the consequences of the Gaza conflict and the wider Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
Liberia also called for full implementation of the Gaza transition framework by all parties, identifying it as a second immediate step toward creating conditions for a broader political settlement.
The third priority, according to Sillah, is decisive Security Council action to preserve the physical conditions required for a two-state solution.
His remarks placed Liberia firmly behind the principle that lasting peace cannot be achieved solely through temporary security arrangements or political declarations if developments on the ground continue to erode the possibility of a viable Palestinian state.
The Liberian position is also rooted in the country’s longstanding support for a negotiated political settlement.
Sillah recalled Liberia’s support nearly a century ago for the international proposal that envisaged the peaceful coexistence of separate Arab and Jewish states, pointing to that history as evidence of Monrovia’s continuing commitment to a two-state framework.
Liberia’s intervention comes as the Security Council continues to face pressure to translate international positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into practical action.
Sillah warned that when Council decisions are not implemented, the consequences extend beyond diplomatic frustration.
According to the Liberian diplomat, failure to enforce or implement decisions reduces the space available for peace, contributes to continued civilian suffering and risks weakening confidence in the authority of the Security Council and the international legal system.
Liberia therefore wants the Council to move with greater urgency, arguing that decisions made in New York must have meaningful consequences on the ground.
