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At UN, Qatar slams world's inaction on Israeli occupation

This picture, taken on July 22, 2019, shows Israeli forces tearing down a Palestinian building under construction in the West Bank village of Dar Salah, adjacent to the Sur Baher area, which straddles the West Bank and Jerusalem al-Quds. (By AFP)

Qatar has blasted the international community for its inaction on the continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the regime’s years-long blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani made the remarks in his video speech at the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

"The international community stands by, unable to take any effective action to confront Israeli intransigence, its continued occupation of Palestinian and Arab land, the imposition of a stifling siege on the Gaza Strip, [and] the expanding settlement policy, among others," Al Thani said.

The Qatari emir also questioned the role of countries and organizations for failing to uphold the resolutions against the continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and its expansion of settlement building.

Al Thani accused Israel of carrying out "flagrant violation of international resolutions and the two-state solution as agreed upon by the international community.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will start plans for annexing more areas in the occupied West Bank, in accordance with US President Donald Trump’s "deal of the century.”

Trump officially unveiled his scheme in January at the White House with Netanyahu on his side.

The proposal gives in to Israel’s demands while creating a Palestinian state with limited control over its own security and borders, enshrining the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds as “Israel’s undivided capital” and allowing the Tel Aviv regime to annex settlements in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley.

More than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.

All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. The UN Security Council has condemned Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.

During his speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the Qatari emir called upon the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to assume its legal responsibilities and "compel Israel to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip, and to put the peace process back on track through credible negotiations based on international resolutions and not on force.”

Meanwhile, the Islamic Hamas movement slammed the United Nations’ failure to defend Palestinians against Israel's daily terrorism or help them with their right to freedom, independence and self-determination.

The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli land, air and sea blockade since June 2007, after Hamas, which has vowed to resist Israeli occupation, won the elections and rose to power in the enclave.

Since imposing the siege, Israel has also waged three wholesale wars against Gaza, killing and wounding thousands of Palestinians in each.

The crippling blockade has caused a sharp decline in the standard of living as well as unprecedented levels of unemployment and unrelenting poverty in the strip.


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