Qatar: Israeli crimes an obstacle to peace process in the region

Qatar has accused the Israeli government of being a state “above the law,” with policies that continue to be major obstacles to the peace process in the region.

Qatar’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri, also said that Israel no longer believes in a two-state solution and he condemned Israel’s continuing violations as “crimes” against the Palestinian People.

Al Mansouri made his remarks on Monday during the interactive discussion with the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian territories, occupied since 1967, within 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council.  He added that the continued settlement construction, house demolitions, land confiscation and forced displacement constituted, “a major obstacle to the peace process in the region.”

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Al-Mansouri also condemned Israeli settlement legislation as a flagrant violation of the relevant laws and international conventions, especially UN Security Council Resolution No. 2334 which was passed in December 2016 and confirmed the settlements had no legal validity. He said Israel had violated its own laws and the rights of the Palestinian people who he said were “the rightful owners of the land”.

Qatar’s UN representative stressed that the international community should hold to account Israeli officials and its leaders for the violations and crimes committed against the Palestinian people.