Palestinian Leaders Call for Blocking Israeli Bid for UN Security Council Seat
Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas addresses the United Nations General Assembly at the UN in New York on September 30, 2015 (AFP/Jewel Samad, File)SOURCE: MA’AN NEWS AGENCY
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Palestinian officials are reportedly urging Arab leaders to block Israel’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), according to a report on Wednesday from official Palestinian Authority (PA)-owned Wafa news agency.Wafa reported that the Palestine committee in the Arab Parliament — formed at the 2001 Arab League Summit — meeting in Cairo on Wednesday, presented a draft proposal to block Israel’s bid for a Security Council seat in the 2019-2020.The Palestinian committee is set to submit the draft proposal to a general meeting of the Arab Parliament scheduled for Thursday.According to Wafa, the committee discussed issues including the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, and Israeli detention of Palestinian minors.The committee reportedly called on the head of the Arab Parliament to “follow up on Israeli violations against the Palestinian people with the UN Secretary General and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,” Wafa reported.