RAMALLAH, May 15, 2019 (WAFA) – Foreign Minister Riyad Malki condemned on Tuesday the United States blocking of a statement by the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Gaza, stressing that this move will not deter the Palestinians from pursuing further action at the Security Council.
He told Voice of Palestine radio that the Security Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on Tuesday afternoon Palestine time to discuss Israel’s carnage in Gaza on Monday that left 59 Palestinians dead, including an 8-month old infant, and more than 2500 injured, as well as the legal implications of the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.
“By blocking a Security Council statement that was supposed to condemn Israel and calls for forming an independent investigation committee, the United States has declared itself as protector of Israel as it proceeds with its crimes, which therefore makes it complicit in the Israeli crimes against our people in Gaza,” said Malki.
He said Palestine is also going to ask the United Nations Human Rights Council to convene an emergency session to discuss the Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people and to establish an investigation committee.
Malki said Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan told President Mahmoud Abbas in a telephone call on Monday to think about convening an emergency session for the UN General Assembly until the title ‘uniting for peace” to discuss the critical developments in Palestine.
He said President Abbas signed three decisions that would allow Palestine to joint three UN organizations out of 22 the US has asked the Palestinians not to join.
He said these decisions will be sent to the relevant parties so that Palestine could become official member in these organizations as it proceeds with steps to join the remaining ones.
Malki said the file on Israeli settlements is ready to be officially submitted to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court as work on the remaining files on the prisoners and the war crimes in Gaza continue.
He said he was satisfied with the international reaction condemning the Israeli crimes in Gaza and the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem saying these reactions are proof that the US is now isolated as a result of this move that violates international law and Security Council resolutions.
He said it will be possible to build on these positions as Palestine moves to act in the UN General Assembly under the term ‘uniting for peace.”
M.K.
