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PA calls for probe into Israel theft of Palestinian antiquities

November 12, 2018 at 11:05 am

Palestinians participate in an antique exhibition in Gaza on 10 March 2017 [Eyad Al Baba/Apaimages]

The Palestinian exterior ministry has called for a “serious” international investigation into Israeli theft of Palestinian antiquities, Jordanian news agency Petra reported yesterday.

In a statement, the ministry sent its calls for the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the World Tourism Organisation to investigate “the Israeli crimes against the Palestinian antiquities, which amount to flagrant violations to the principles of international law and the charters that organise the work of the specialist international organisations.”

Meanwhile, the Palestinian ministry considered opening the investigation into this case as “an introduction to putting pressure on the Israeli occupation in order to return the stolen Palestinian artifacts which were forcefully stolen.”

The ministry also highlighted the Israeli “settlement tourism” which is supported by the official Israeli institutions in partnership with the settlement councils in the occupied West Bank.

Read: Israel approves 640 new settlement units in Jerusalem