UNITED NATIONS, March 4 (KUNA) -- Palestine on Monday urged the Security Council to advance the achievement of the two-State solution this year and to put an end to Israel's "war crimes, acts of State terrorism." Palestinian Charge d'Affaires Feda Abdulhady Nasser said in a letter to Council President Vitaly Churkin of Russia "serious efforts are required, foremost by the Security Council, to uphold the law and to hold Israel accountable for its violations. The immediate aim must be to difuse the current volatile situation and to foster a proper environment for advancing this year the achievement of the two-State solution." This, she added, should be based on the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid principles, the Arab Peace Initiative, and Quartet Roadmap, "before the viability of that solution is completely destroyed by the occupying Power." She complained that the number of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel "regrettably continues to grow as the occupying Power has persisted with its arrest campaign, including of children and civilians partaking in protests against the occupation." During the month of February alone, she noted, Israel arrested at least 382 Palestinians, including 10 women.
The Palestinian official also complained about the Israeli treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, which pushed thousands to go on hunger strike.
"All these illegal Israeli practices are exacerbating tensions and casting grave doubts on Israel's claims of commitment to achieving a peace that brings an end to this grotesque military occupation and ensures justice and freedom for the Palestinian people and peace and security between Palestine and Israel, " she said.
"For all of these war crimes, acts of State terrorism" and systematic human rights violations being committed against the Palestinian people, she stressed, Israel, the occupying Power, must be held accountable and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. (end) sj.bs KUNA 042343 Mar 13NNNN