Mansour: International community must hold Israel accountable for its crimes and violations

Dr. Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations in New York, said that the international community must act collectively to hold Israel accountable for its violations and crimes and salvage the prospects for the realization of peace and justice in this year.Mansour statements were made in identical letters sent to the UN Secretary-General, President of the Security Council (Jordan) and President of the UN General Assembly, on Israeli aggressive and illegal actions against the Palestinian people.Mansour said in his letter: "While serious peace efforts are being undertaken both regionally and internationally to achieve peace and to salvage the Two-State solution, Israel instead continues to choose aggression and colonization. Since the resumption of peace talks, the occupying Power hasn't ceased its oppressive and destructive measures which threatening to derail the peace talks.He pointed out to "the latest spate of Israeli crimes took place on Wednesday, 22 January, in the Gaza Strip, an integral part of the State of Palestine, which remains under an oppressive, unlawful blockade. For the second time in a week, Israeli occupying forces launched military strikes against the Gaza Strip, firing a missile at a car carrying Ahmed Zaanin, 21 years old, and Mahmoud Zaanin, 23 years old, killing them both."He added, "In addition to the killing of Palestinian civilians, Israel continues with its illegal, provocative measures that continue to aggravate tensions. While all these issues were highlighted during the State of Palestine's intervention at the Security Council on 20 January 2014, in particular the issue of continued settlement activities, which more than 40 Member States who addressed the Council reiterated the illegality of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and the obstacle they pose to peace."He also pointed out to the Israeli decision that was made in 22 January to "move forward with its plans for another 261 new units in two settlements located deep in the West Bank. This includes 256 units in the so-called settlement of "Nofei Prat", between Jerusalem and Jericho, which according to Peace Now dramatically changes the settlement, expanding its size and population significantly, in fact tripling its size. Another five settlement units in the massive settlement of "Ariel" in the North."He also talked about the announcement made by the Jerusalem municipality to build a new settlement "neighborhood" south of the City, which would include 1700 settlement units. Furthermore, a further 381 new settlement units were approved to be built in the so-called settlement of "Givat Zeev" north of Jerusalem."Along with the innumerable violations to Palestinian rights as a result of illegal settlements, racist and fanatic Israeli settlers continue to wreak havoc and destruction on Palestinian properties and land throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem," said Mansour.In the recent period, extremist settlers have continued to vandalize homes and to destroy olive groves and other farm lands. The most recent attacks occurred yesterday when Israeli settlers uprooted over 600 recently planted olive and almond saplings in the village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah in the West Bank. It should be noted that the saplings were planted by the International Committee of the Red Cross to support Palestinian farmers, and would have benefited more than 70 families.""The occupying Power is also pushing ahead with excavation plans for a so-called second "visitors' center" at the entrance to Wadi Hilweh in Silwan, a densely-populated neighborhood of East Jerusalem. Such excavations by the occupying Power at the entrance to Wadi Hilweh are destroying deep-rooted Islamic antiquities from the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphate eras."Mansour confirmed that all of these illegal Israeli policies and practices are fueling tensions on the ground, inciting violence and provoking deeper mistrust. The negative impact of such Israeli breaches on the situation on the ground is vast and is deepening pessimism in respect to the potential for the success of the current peace negotiations and the ultimate viability of the two-State solution.He stressed that a clear demand must be made to Israel to cease its illegal actions and commit to the path of peace. He said, "The international community, foremost the Security Council, has clear responsibilities in this regard and must no longer tolerate the occupying Power's empty pretexts, deception and blatant contempt for international law."