Palestinian cause is central for Arab nation - Kuwait

NEW YORK, Oct 27 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait, addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), has affirmed that the Palestinian cause is a "central issue" for the Arab nation.
Kuwait has also asserted the Arab identity of East Jerusalem in line with a resolution by the latest Arab ministerial council meeting held in September.
Arab states are committed to peace as a strategic option, stated Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, the State of Kuwait Permanent Representative at the United Nations, during a UNSC session on the Middle East, namely the Palestinian cause, Monday evening.
They are also committed to resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict according to international law, relevant resolutions of the international legitimacy and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.
On these grounds, the Palestinian people must allowed to reclaim full legitimate rights, establish an independent state on their territory with East Jerusalem as its capital, Al-Otaibi stressed in his statement during the UNSC session.
However, Israel, the occupation power, pursues its aggressive policy against the Palestinian people and keeps reminding "us frequently" that it has not backed down from its schemes to annex more lands in the West Bank, said Al-Otaibi, noting that Israel has maintained this intransigent approach in the shadows of the coronavirus that constitutes an existential threat to humankind.
Such policies affirm anew that Israel is seeking to maintain the occupation through illegal activities, expanding and building thousands of settlement units and merging territories in explicit breach of the UN Resolution 2334.
Recent UN reports have affirmed that Jewish settlement activities in the West Bank including East Jerusalem are increasing after the Israeli Government has given the green light to build thousands of new illegal settlement units.
These activities coincided with violent acts by the Israeli settlers against the unarmed Palestinian people, demolishing Palestinian buildings and properties to erect settlements in their places, said Ambassador Al-Otaibi noting that these breaches by the settlers have deepened concerns about safety of the Palestinians.
Amid these acts, chances for the Palestinians to establish their state are fading, he said.
The UN secretary general and the higher commissioner for human rights have repeatedly affirmed that there is "an atmosphere that encourages impunity for the Israeli settlers who have seized the Palestinian lands making Palestinian families homeless," the senior Kuwaiti diplomat added.
Moreover, latest report by the UN secretary general has noted that the Israeli ministry of justice investigates some cases of settlers' attacks but refrains from condemning them.
"Such practices must prompt us now than ever to activate international mechanisms and laws to bring Israel into account for the continuing breaches of the Palestinian people rights that are guaranteed by the international laws," the Kuwaiti envoy called.
In spite of current extraordinary circumstances throughout the world, the State of Kuwait along with other Arab states have continued exerting efforts to face Israel's bids to take advantage of the nations' preoccupation with coping with the novel coronavirus to stop the aggression, the war and the blockade around Palestinian territories. (end) asf.rk