ADDIS ABABA, Saturday, February 17, 2024 (WAFA) – Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, during his participation today in the 37th African Union Summit, on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, urgently called for renouncing Israel internationally and imposing sanctions on it due to its deliberate violation of international law.
Shtayyeh called for the need to put pressure on Israel to halt its brutal aggression on Gaza and its colonial expansion in the West Bank.
The Prime Minister added in his speech during the summit held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa that the African Union (AU) was right when it prevented Israel from being an observer state in the Union, and prevented the access of its representatives into this forum last year.
Shtayyeh stressed, "Israel is an apartheid state and a state of racial discrimination in law and practice, and there are international reports that have documented this from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty." He wondered, "after everything it has committed against the Palestinian people, is it reasonable for anyone to be with Israel and its policies?"
Shtayyeh said, “The friendly country of South Africa brought Israel before the International Court of Justice on charges of committing the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, and today Israel stands accused before the court of being a criminal state.”
"The court will also begin hearing 56 arguments the day after tomorrow, stating that the Israeli occupation is illegal and illegitimate, based on a resolution issued by the United Nations General Assembly submitted by the State of Palestine." The Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister noted that "Israel is killing out of revenge after 134 days of its brutal aggression, and wants to continue for as long as possible to serve Netanyahu's position as prime minister, and this must not be allowed."
The Prime Minister called on the African Union to raise its voice against Israeli horrific crimes in Gaza Strip, calling for the urgent need to halt the aggression, especially to what is happening now in Rafah.
Shtayyeh also called to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and to strongly fight against the colonial program that Israel is implementing in the Palestinian territories.
The Prime Minister added, "Let the voice of Africa and the voice of your union be loud for the freedom of Palestine and the right of its people to self-determination and the embodiment of the Palestinian state and its recognition as a member state of the United Nations."
The Prime Minister welcomed the political efforts and the initiative to create a political path, stressing the need “to move from statements, plans and ideas to actions."
Shtayyeh confirmed that "It is not possible to return to a path of negotiations again. Today, the world is required to recognize the State of Palestine, a state on the borders of June 4, 1967." Adding that "The Security Council adopts this resolution and sets a timetable for ending the occupation by ending difficult issues such as Jerusalem, refugees, borders, water, and prisoners, and settlements.”
He called for placing the entire colonies project under international sanctions, by boycotting colony products and colony institutions, pointing out the importance of completing what some countries did by placing a number of colonists on terrorist lists.
Shtayyeh thanked the African Union for hosting Palestine on the highest African platform and for delivering the voice of truth to the world.”
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