RAMALLAH, May 5, 2018 (WAFA) – Israel’s decision not to compete for a seat in the United Nations Security Council is a victory to humanitarian principles and values, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement on Saturday.

Israel was running against Belgium and Germany for one of two non-permanent Security Council seats slated for the Western Europe group that will be vacated at the end of this year. However, claiming that it has no chance of defeating either country in the election planned for next month, Israel decided on Friday to pull out from the race.

The Foreign Ministry said “the withdrawal of Israel - an occupying power - from the race for a Security Council seat is a victory for humanitarian principles and values that are based on international law and the Charter of the United Nations.”

It said the withdrawal “unequivocally confirms that Israel - an occupying power - is not qualified to compete for membership of the Security Council, which seeks to achieve world peace and security.”

The Ministry said it has worked hard with many friendly countries and organizations to thwart Israel’s efforts to gain membership in the Security Council, stressing that all these efforts have succeeded “in thwarting any real support for this legally, morally and humanitarianly invalid candidacy, with the exception of a few countries that support Israel and its racist policies.”

It said it will continue with efforts at all levels “to prove that Israel is never qualified to assume any international post before it ends its racist colonial regime established on the land of the State of Palestine and at the expense of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people.”

Foreign Minister Riyad Malki also said “Israel, which violates United Nations resolutions and international law and defy humanitarian principles, does not deserve a seat in the Security Council, particularly since it never enforces its resolutions and does not abide by them, rather plays a sabotaging role to prevent it from carrying out its duties toward world peace and security.”

He said his ministry worked from day one on exposing Israel’s invalidity to gain a seat in the Security Council and explained to all countries why Israel should not be allowed to have that seat.

M.K.