Arab states aim to block Israeli Security Council bid: Palestinian FM

Palestinian foreign minister, Riyad al-Maliki said a campaign by Arab states to block Israel's bid for a Security Council seat has gained support weeks ahead of the scheduled UN vote.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

13 April, 2018

Israel, Germany and Belgium are in the running for positions at the Security Council [Getty]

A campaign by Arab states to block Israel's bid for a Security Council seat has gained support weeks ahead of a scheduled UN vote, the Palestinian foreign minister said on Thursday.

"We are doing everything possible to convince as many countries as possible to block the vote on Israel's bid for a seat at the Security Council," Riyad al-Maliki told reporters in Riyadh ahead of the Arab Summit this weekend.

"We need to secure the one-third vote necessary for a veto, and we believe we can, as Arab and Islamic states," the minister added.

Maliki said the Palestinian effort to block the vote had also received significant support from European allies.

Israel, Germany and Belgium are in the running for two coveted spots at the Security Council, the UN's most powerful branch.

The 193 members of the UN General Assembly are scheduled to vote on the seats in June.

In 2012, the United Nations approved the recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state but left the status of Jerusalem hanging.

East Jerusalem was annexed by Israel in the 1967 war, and the sector is today widely considered occupied territory.

In December, US President Donald Trump announced the United States would recognise Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state of Israel, sparking a wave of outrage across the world.

"A country that violates international laws and conventions, that violates UN resolutions and principles, cannot sit down to dictate the fate of security and peace around the world," Maliki said of Israel.

"This is a clear violation of these principles and we must work to stop their plans. We need to make sure there are no surprises".

Since March 30, Israeli forces have killed 33 Palestinians and wounded more than 2,000 others during mass protests along the besieged Gaza border. There have been no Israeli casualties.

The Great Return March protests are expected to continue until the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, when over 700,000 were forced from their homes, many of whom ended up as refugees in Gaza.

Israel has responded to the peaceful protests by targeting demonstrators with live ammunition, as well as rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas, sparking worldwide condemnation.

The EU, UN and international human rights organisations have called for an investigation into the killings.

Agencies contributed to this report.