PA rejects Netanyahu’s ‘hateful, provocative’ UN speech

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has rejected the “hateful and provocative” speech made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

This came in a statement issued by the PA’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

“The State of Palestine rejects in the strongest terms the provocative and hateful speech delivered by the Israeli prime minister at the United Nations General Assembly General debate,” the statement conveyed.

It added: “From the podium of the United Nations, Israel’s Prime Minister confirmed, yet again, the colonial designs of his government and the objectives of Israel’s illegal occupation: the forcible and violent annexation of the Palestinian homeland and negation of the presence and rights of the Palestinian people, including their rights to self-determination and return.”

READ: Gaza: 22 Palestinians wounded in Israel’s aggression on protesters

The statement continued: “The international community must firmly reject and condemn Israel’s racist denigration of the Palestinian people and its vehement denial of their roots in the land – an indigenous, centuries-old presence borne out by history.”

“This is being done, openly all in grave breach of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and humanitarian and human rights law, and in brazen contempt of the international community, for over seven decades. In 2023, Israel stands at the world’s podium boasting of its illegal occupation and apartheid regime in Palestine, confident it will never be held accountable,” added the Foreign Ministry, demanding accountability for Israel’s breaches in the occupied territories.

“Such criminality must never be normalised. It is past time to hold Israel, the occupying power, accountable for all its grave breaches in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. It is time to enforce consequences for its war crimes and crimes against humanity and against the Palestinian people.”

READ: PLO faction: ‘Abbas placed Palestine issue burden on international community’