PA minister criticises normalisation with Israel amid increasing attacks on Palestinians

The Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister has criticised the Arab states that have signed normalisation deals with Israel since last August. Riyad Al-Maliki made his comments at yesterday’s emergency session of his counterparts at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Muslim nations, meanwhile, have slammed Israel’s “barbaric” attacks against the Palestinians, which have so far killed at least 202 Palestinians. The death toll is rising almost by the hour.

“Normalisation and running towards this colonial Israeli system without achieving peace and ending the Israeli occupation of Arab and Palestinian lands represents support for the apartheid regime and participation in its crimes,” insisted Al-Maliki. “This colonial occupation must be confronted, dismantled, ended and banned. The recently accelerated normalisation will not have an impact on the sentiments of the Arab [people] or change their assessment.”

Israel launched a military offensive against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip last Monday, using its air force, artillery and navy. The Palestinian resistance factions have responded by firing rockets at Israeli cities.

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The Israeli violence against the Palestinians has embarrassed the Arab countries – Sudan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – which signed normalisation agreements with the occupation state last year as part of the so-called “Abraham Accords“. The OIC’s emergency meeting was hosted by Saudi Arabia, which has not formally normalised ties with Israel but is known to maintain clandestine links.

The Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud called on the international community to take “urgent action” to halt the Israeli military operation and revive peace talks aimed at securing a two-state solution. “Preserving Jerusalem is the responsibility of all of us,” he said.

Palestinians have condemned the accords as a stab in the back and “treason”. The Palestinian leadership has pointed out that the normalisation states have rewarded Israel while it continues its occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and maintains its siege of the Gaza Strip.