PA calls on UN to stop Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes

Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday asking him to stop Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes “immediately”, Anadolu has reported. The letter was also sent to New Zealand’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Murray McCully, whose country is the current President of the UN Security Council

In a statement, the PA foreign ministry said that Al-Maliki asked McCully to circulate his letter to all of the council members.

The PA official called for an immediate and urgent halt to Israeli demolitions, the taking of measures to protect Palestinian citizens and the obliging of Israel, as the occupying power in Palestine, to abide by international law and to be held accountable for its violations. “Direct and responsible procedures by the international community,” insists the PA, “is the only way to put an end to the Israeli practices as it considers itself to be above the law. This will also save the two-state solution.”

Anadolu reported that the PA foreign ministry also sent the letter to all foreign consulates and diplomatic missions in Palestine.

The move followed the Israeli demolition of four Palestinian residential apartments in occupied East Jerusalem, making 20 Palestinians homeless. Furthermore, classrooms and other facilities have been destroyed by the Israelis in the past few days on the pretext that they were “unlicensed”.