Ibrahim Al-Kharashi, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, attends a session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva in a photo from Reuters archives. reuters_tickers
This content was published on November 10, 2023 – 19:47 July, November 10, 2023 – 19:47
By Emma Farge
GENEVA (Reuters) – A Palestinian envoy on Friday criticized Western countries for their support for Ukraine by denouncing Russia’s violations of international law and its reluctance to mention what the envoy described as Israeli violations against Palestinians in Gaza.
Ibrahim Al-Kharashi, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, was speaking in the presence of more than 40 ambassadors during an event to observe a minute of silence for the lives of thousands of civilians killed in Gaza since the start of the Israeli bombing more than a month ago. Israel is attacking the Gaza Strip by air, land and sea after fighters from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) infiltrated Israel and killed 1,400 people on October 7.
“There are a huge number of humanitarian laws that can be applied. They are fully applied when it comes to Ukraine. When it comes to us, they are pushed aside, violated, not used and disparaged,” he told a gathering of diplomats and journalists.
He specifically mentioned allegations last year by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Russia’s attacks on civilian infrastructure, including electricity infrastructure, in Ukraine were war crimes.
Electricity has been cut off in Gaza since October 11 as part of an ongoing Israeli blockade, and more than 11,000 civilians have been killed, while Western leaders, including European Union leaders, tend to speak in a calmer tone and defend Israel’s right to attack Hamas while making efforts to limit… Numbers of civilian deaths and injuries.
Spokesmen for the European Commission have not yet commented.
Israel says it adheres to international humanitarian law at all times and blames Hamas for the killing of civilians, noting that Hamas uses people as human shields.
Most of the ambassadors who participated in the minute of silence on the podium are from countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. No Western countries joined, but the Dutch ambassador watched from afar.
In the same speech, Al-Kharashi asked democratic countries to more strongly support the ceasefire and end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, saying that humanitarian aid is not enough.
He continued, “I must personally address those who call themselves the free world. You must do your best to stop the bloodshed and reach a ceasefire.” He added, “You must work with us to address the roots of the problem by ending the occupation.”
He stated that there are countries considering holding a special session in the United Nations Human Rights Council to discuss the Gaza crisis.
(Prepared by Muhammad Aysem for the Arabic Bulletin – Edited by Ayman Saad Muslim)
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2023-11-10 18:47:46
