Israel vetoes UN Security Council’s plan to access Palestinian areas

Following the UN Security Council decision to visit to the Palestinian ruled areas they claim for a future independent Islamic state, UN Ambassador Anatolio Ndong Mba was quoted saying, ‘Israel categorically refused the council visit.’

By the Associated Press

 

Israel has refused to allow the UN Security Council to visit the territory that the Palestinians claim for a future independent state, UN diplomats said Wednesday.

Last week, the council authorized Its current president, Equitorial Guinea’s UN Ambassador Anatolio Ndong Mba, to consult the Israel and Palestinian ambassadors about a trip.

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour immediately responded, saying a council visit would be viewed “in the most positive way.”

Israel’s Ambassador Danny Danon was interviewed on i24NEWS’ Spin Room with Ami Kaufman, February 4, 2019.  – Screenshot: i24NEWS

But Kuwaiti Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi said Ndong Mba reported to a closed council meeting Wednesday that “Israel categorically refused the council visit,” though Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon said the government would welcome visits to Israel by individual ambassadors.

A council visit requires support from all 15 council members and approval by the countries concerned. Several other members confirmed Danon’s rejection.

Just as in all UN bodies, voting against Israel here at UN Security Council doesn’t comes as any surprise. Friday 23, Dec 2016 – UN video screenshot

Al-Otaibi, the Arab representative on the council, said he expressed regret that the visit won’t take place, noting there have been many requests for the UN’s most powerful body to visit the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as their capital —all unsuccessful.

UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said there is no record of the Security Council ever visiting Palestinian areas.

“We want to continue our consultation,” Al-Otaibi said. “Hopefully we reach a consensus, because we said this issue has been on the council agenda for decades.”

“We want an official trip—this is what we asked for, not to go illegally or not to be invited as tourists,” Al-Otaibi said.

Equatorial Guinea’s deputy ambassador, Job Obiang Esono Mbengono, told reporters: “We’re still working on it.”

The Security Council asked the council president to meet the Israeli and Palestinian ambassadors to discuss a visit after the United States blocked an Arab-backed Security Council statement put forward by Indonesia and Kuwait expressing regret at Israel’s suspension of an international observer mission in the West Bank city of Hebron.


Israeli CCTV clearly shows a TIPH member slashing the tire of a Jewish owned vehicle in Hebron

The Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) was established in 1994 following Israeli settler Dr. Baruch Goldstein’s massacre of 29 worshippers at the Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank city, which triggered riots across Palestinian areas. The mosque is located at the site that is also revered by Jews as the Tomb of the Patriarchs.

Taken by Saladin in 1188, the Tomb of the Patriarchs, also called the Cave of Machpelah and is considered by Jews to be their second holiest place in the world after the Temple Mount, was converted into a mosque by the Arab invaders. – Photo: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT

Israel’s Danon accused the Hebron mission of acting as “a violent, biased” force, which its members strongly denied.

 

View original Ynet publication at:
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5463433,00.html