Arab League chief affimed that the Knesset rejection of Palestinian State aims to legitimise the occupation apartheid and normalise the desecration of holy sites, which undermine the two-state solution….reports Asian Lite News
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit condemned the announcement issued by the Israeli Knesset, rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Aboul Gheit stressing that this announcement and the invalid justifications it contained only expose the true intentions of the Israeli occupation towards the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights, foremost of which is the establishment of their independent state on their land occupied since June 4, 1967.
Jamal Rushdi, the official spokesman of the Arab League’s Secretary-General, said the announcement coincided with the storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Aboul Gheit affimed that the Knesset rejection aims to legitimise the occupation apartheid and normalise the desecration of holy sites, which undermine the two-state solution and rejects the peace that the international community seeks.
Meanhile, Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the Israeli Knesset’s move.
Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah said on Thursday that the decisions and actions issued by Israel do not change the reality of its occupation of Palestinian territories, nor do they affect the continued applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, related to the protection of civilians in times of war, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the ministry.
Qudah stressed that Israel’s ongoing efforts to deny the inalienable right of Palestinians to their independent and sovereign state do not bring security and peace to the region, calling on the international community to stop Israel’s actions, as well as its continued offensive against the Gaza Strip, the statement said.
Also on Thursday, the ministry condemned Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem.
The ministry said it considered this action as provocative, which reflects the continuation of the Israeli government in its unilateral measures and systematic policies that disregard international laws and Israel’s obligations as the occupying power in occupied Jerusalem.
Qudah called on the international community to condemn these violations and provide necessary protection for the Palestinian people in light of the Israeli government’s ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip.
UN chief ‘disappointed’ by Knesset
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed disappointed by the decision of the Israeli Knesset.
In a statement, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said:”As he (Guterres) has said many times, he believes that ending the occupation and negotiating a two-State solution where Israel and an independent democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders based on 1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States, is the only viable path to a sustainable peace for the people of Israel and for the people of Palestine.”
‘’So, the motion passed is for us clearly inconsistent with the UN resolutions, international law and prior agreements. And he once again calls on the Israelis and all sides, frankly, [not] to do anything that takes us further away from the two-State solution,” he added.
Israeli administrative and legal steps are also “steadily altering” the geography of the occupied West Bank, said António Guterres in a statement before the UN Security Council’s open debate on the ongoing crisis in Gaza yesterday.
He briefed the council on two military orders issued at the end of May, which transferred powers to a civilian deputy in Israel’s Civil Administration.
“This move is another significant advance in the ongoing transfer of authority over many aspects of daily life in the occupied West Bank”, he said.
“If left unaddressed, these measures risk causing irreparable damage…we must change course. All settlement activity must cease immediately. Israeli settlements are a flagrant violation of international law and a key obstacle to peace.”
“The seizure of large land parcels in strategic areas and changes to planning, land management and governance are expected to significantly accelerate settlement expansion,” he added.
Israel to maintain control of Rafah crossing
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made a surprise visit to Gaza’s Rafah, pledging to uphold Israeli control over the Rafah crossing and the entire Gaza-Egypt border, even if a ceasefire-hostage agreement is reached.
Netanyahu on Thursday received briefings from commanders in Rafah, which Israeli ground forces have seized since early May, and observed the “Philadelphia Corridor”, the border area between Gaza and Egypt, Xinhua news agency reported.
“I got here stronger in the understanding that our control of the Philadelphia Corridor and the Rafah crossing is essential for the future,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, surrounded by soldiers.
He noted that next week he will travel to Washington to address the US Congress, adding that he will present the “righteousness” of the controversial ongoing Israeli onslaught in Gaza.
Netanyahu made the statement as an Israeli delegation was in Cairo for more talks on the agreement. The control over the Rafah crossing and “the Philadelphia Corridor” is a major sticking point in the talks. Israeli officials, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, have said that Israel would agree to withdraw from the area under a deal that would secure the release of about 120 hostages still held in Gaza.
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