Araby welcomes appointment of new United Nations rapporteur for occupied Palestinian territories

Arab League Secretary General Nabil el Araby welcomed the appointment of Canadian law expert Michael Lynk as the new United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.

The former rapporteur, Makaram Wibisono, an Indonesian former diplomat, quit earlier this year, saying he failed in his mandate because Israel declined to give him access to the Palestinian territories.

In a statement Monday, Araby said he hopes Lynk will be able to undertake his duties under the pressure and violations exercised by the Israeli occupation authorities and their insistence to prevent international missions and figures from doing their tasks and getting first hand experience of the suffering of the Palestinian people.

Araby also hailed the efforts of the resigned rapporteur Wibisono during his tenure.

In his resignation letter, Wibisono has expressed deep regret that, throughout his mandate, Israel failed to grant him access to the Occupied Palestinian Territory. “Unfortunately, my efforts to help improve the lives of Palestinian victims of violations under the Israeli occupation have been frustrated every step of the way,” said Wibisono.

He stressed that upon taking up the mandate in June 2014, he was assured that he would have access to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Source : MENA