New York (VNA) – Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy expressed Vietnam’s serious concern over recent tension in East Jerusalem and called onsides involved to restrain themselves at an UN Security Council emergency meeting held in New York on May 10.

At the meeting on the Middle East situation, including thePalestine issue, UN’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process TorWennesland delivered a briefing on escalating violence in East Jerusalem,particularly the number of injuries and fatalities among civilians, calling uponthe council to make actions to ease the tension.

Quy, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UnitedNations, said without specific steps, the tension is likely to further escalatingand the violent cycle could come back at any moment.

He said Vietnam condemns all acts of violence and unnecessaryuse of lethal weapons against civilians and called on all parties to exercisemaximum restraint and avoid any actions and statements that might complicatethe situation.

Expressing his serious concern over the fact that about 970Palestinians are at risk of being deported from their homes in East Jerusalem,the diplomat called for an end to all acts violating international lawand humanitarian obligations.

Vietnam called on the Israeli government to fully respect therights of Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, totraditional religious and cultural activities, especially during the Muslimmonth of Ramadan, Quy said.

The emergency meeting took place at the request of nine councilmember countries – Tunisia, Ireland, China, Estonia, France, Norway, Niger, SaintVincent and the Grenadines, and Vietnam./.