Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– World Humanitarian Day
– International Criminal Court
– West Bank/Settlements
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Lebanon
– Deputy Secretary-General/Trip Announcement
– Sudan
– Somalia
– Venezuela
– Financial Contribution
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
Let me start off with the issues surrounding the International Criminal Court. We have seen the announcement by the United States regarding the imposition of sanctions on the International Criminal Court President, Tomoko Akane, as well as a senior trial lawyer, Abdoulaye Seye. I can tell you that the Secretary-General expresses serious concern about this designation, as well as the ongoing designation of other International Criminal Court employees.
While the United Nations and the International Criminal Court are separate institutions, with separate and distinct mandates, as we often said, the United nations considers the ICC a key pillar of international criminal justice and the Secretary-General very much respects its work.
WEST BANK/SETTLEMENTS
Turning to the occupied West Bank. I can tell you that the Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the reports of new illegal Israeli settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, including new tenders, including for the E1 area.
He is particularly concerned about the developments related to the E1 settlement, which would effectively sever the connection between the northern and the southern West Bank. As such, it would have severe consequences for the territorial integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and present an existential threat to the two-State solution. The Secretary-General calls on Israel to refrain from taking any further steps in this regard and to act in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions and in line with the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-08-19