Khalifa: Mount pressure on Israel

The UAE holds Israel accountable for the international failure to settle the Palestinian issue and terms the current situation as “deplorable and disappointing’’ not only for the Palestinians but also all peoples of the region and peace-loving nations. The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in message to Abdou Salam Diallo, Chairman of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, said: “The day comes while the Palestinian cause is standing at a crossroads due to the deadlock in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and failure of the UN to honour its commitments towards the Palestinian people including recognition of an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital and other UN relevant resolutions.’’ “The UAE strongly condemns Israel’s expansionary settlement campaign and aggression on the Palestinian territories, including the holy city of Jerusalem. The UAE also lashes out at these dangerous Israeli policies which pose a stumbling block before the peace process,” Shaikh Khalifa added. “We also hold the UN and members of the Quartet responsible for allowing Israel to exceed all boundaries in its occupation and its aggression on the Palestinian people and we call on them today more than any time ago to take effective, immediate measures that guarantee the protection of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the UN recognition of the Palestinian state on the June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.’’ The UAE President called on the international community to ratchet up political pressure on Israel to force it to freeze and dismantle illegal settlements, stop its aggression, lift inhumane blockade on the Gaza Strip, to immediately release thousands of detainees, halt violations of Islamic and Christian sacred places and Judaisation of Jerusalem to clear the air for resumption of the Middle East peace talks based on the two-state solution formula. ‘’There will be no comprehensive, fair and lasting settlement of the Palestinian cause and the situation in the Middle East without holding Israel accountable for its aggression and illegitimate acts and its complete withdrawal from the Palestinian and Arab territories, under occupation since 1967, including the East Jerusalem, Syria’s Golan Heights and Lebanese lands in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative,” Shaikh Khalifa said.