The Palestinian Authority (PA) has filed a complaint against Israel at the Security Council, accusing it of imposing apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Palestine’s Permanent Representative to the UN Riyad Mansour slammed the international community’s inaction towards the Israeli violations of international law, including the UN Charter, Fourth Geneva Convention and UN resolutions.
He made his accusations in letters sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly and this month’s President of the Security Council (France) and tackling the deteriorating situation resulting from Israel’s violations in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
He highlighted the significance of ensuring accountability and the use of diplomatic, political and legal capabilities to confirm international law as a source of jurisdiction in the Palestinian cause.
The ambassador stressed the need for translating international statements and positions into actions, expressing his dismay and regret that “decades of international inaction has given Israel a license to do whatever it likes with impunity — even committing crimes without consequences.”
He pointed out that “the recent period has seen a noticeable escalation in settler violence, house demolition, forced displacement, detention and killing of Palestinian civilians, including children.”
Mansour accused Israel of exploiting the international community’s preoccupation with the efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic to further consolidate its illegal occupation, describing the unjust reality imposed by the so-called “sole democracy in the Middle East” as apartheid.
