PA Accuses Israel of Exploiting Jewish Holidays to Encourage Settlement

Israeli security forces in Jerusalem’s Old City, March 18, 2018. (Reuters)
Israeli security forces in Jerusalem’s Old City, March 18, 2018. (Reuters)
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PA Accuses Israel of Exploiting Jewish Holidays to Encourage Settlement

Israeli security forces in Jerusalem’s Old City, March 18, 2018. (Reuters)
Israeli security forces in Jerusalem’s Old City, March 18, 2018. (Reuters)

The Palestinian Authority (PA) accused Israel of exploiting Jewish holidays to encourage settlement projects in Palestinian territory.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said the Israeli authority has been working on “exploiting holidays in favor of provocative acts of aggression that would deepen the settlement and Judaization operations in the occupied Palestinian territory and intensify attacks on holy sites in Jerusalem.”

It cited a series of attacks against the Palestinian people and these sites, including the closure of the Bab al-Rahma prayer area, the constant storming of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the repeated Israeli calls for marches in the West Bank on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

The Ministry also accused Israel of “abducting” Palestinian nature either through the separation wall, barriers, barbed wire fences or flooding them with toxic waste. This has deprived the people of their right to enjoy nature walks.

It called on “countries that claim to be keen on the principles of human rights and that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to do so as soon as possible, as a necessary step to confront the colonial settlement project and protect the two-state solution.”

It said it has been closely following the Israeli campaign in the Isawiya district in east Jerusalem, warning of its dangerous repercussions. It condemned the security forces’ night raids, murders, mass arrests, provocative checkpoints and other forms of “collective punishment.”



UN Calls for 'Immediate Deescalation' in Libyan Capital

Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP
Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP
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UN Calls for 'Immediate Deescalation' in Libyan Capital

Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP
Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP

The UN mission in Libya called for "immediate deescalation", citing reports of armed forces being mobilized in the capital and its surroundings that have raised fears of renewed violence.

In mid-May, there were clashes in Tripoli between forces loyal to the government and powerful armed groups wanting to dismantle it.

In a statement published late on Wednesday on X, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said there were "increased reports of continued military build-up in and around Tripoli", AFP reported.

It said it "strongly urges all parties to refrain from using force, particularly in densely populated areas, and to avoid any actions or political rhetoric that could trigger escalation or lead to renewed clashes".

It called for all parties to "engage in good faith" in deescalation and for the "swift implementation of security arrangements" set out during efforts to end the May violence.

Those clashes left six people dead, the United Nations said.

"Forces recently deployed in Tripoli must withdraw without delay," UNSMIL said.

Libya has been gripped by conflict since the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising.

The country remains split between Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah's UN-recognized government based in Tripoli and a rival administration based in the east.

In a TV interview on Monday, Dbeibah called for armed groups to vacate the areas under their control.

Among the sites held by armed factions are the Mitiga airport in the east of the capital, which is controlled by the powerful Radaa Force.

"Dialogue -- not violence -- remains the only viable path toward achieving lasting peace, stability in Tripoli and across Libya", the UNSMIL statement said.