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The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Harare condemns in the strongest terms Apartheid Israeli’s pursuit of punitive measures and sanctions against Palestine which include withholding $39 million from its tax revenues, freezing construction plans to benefit Palestinians in West Bank’s Area C, and targeting the Palestinian leaders including the Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Riyad al-Malik, Palestine’s United Nations representative Dr. Riyad H. Mansour and others who lead diplomatic and legal campaigns against the Israeli apartheid government.
This comes after the UN General Assembly last week approved a resolution that calls on the ICJ to issue a legal opinion on the consequences of Apartheid Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Speaking to this publication, Palestine’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, HE Tamer Almassri said these measures are a flagrant violation of apartheid Israel’s obligations as an occupying power and persistence in Israel’s rebellion against international law and efforts to avoid accountability for its crimes against humanity.
He said the Palestinian people and its leadership will continue to expose Israel’s racist and apartheid policies that it implements against the Palestinian people at whatever cost at all international forums.
Instead of Israel imposing punitive sanctions against innocent Palestinians, the occupying state is the one that should be punished for its violations and rebellion against international law and resolutions of international legitimacy, and these measures targeting the Palestinian leadership, the Palestinian National Authority, and all our people will not be discouraged from continuing the struggle to provide international protection for its citizens and to put an end to Israel’s continued impunity on the international stage
“The measures adopted by Israel lay bare that this apartheid state is worse than those previously in Africa which banned, arrested, jailed, and killed political leaders and freedom fighters as well as looting its resources. Therefore, Palestine will continue the political, diplomatic, and legal struggle to end the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine which is the last occupation of the 21st century.
“We call on progressive nations which include African countries who have suffered at the hands of brutal apartheid regimes like Israel to hold it accountable for its crimes and to ensure that Israel ceases its sanctions against the Palestinian people and submit to the rules-based international order or be prepared to receive the treatment owed to pariah states. Israel cannot continue to act like a state above international law hence it’s time to be held accountable now.
“The international community should demand that the occupying power of Israel respect international law and tolerate accountability. Apartheid must stop forthwith its bullying tactics when faced with any dilemma of being held accountable by the international community. Israel must be confronted with unequivocal international measures that stand on principle and affirm the obligation of all states to comply with the law, including facing accountability when warranted,” HE Almassri said in a statement.