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Roundup: Palestinians slam electing Israel to presidency of UN commission

Xinhua, June 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Palestinians strongly criticized on Tuesday electing Israel to the presidency of a legal commission in the United Nations, which comprises Western, European and other states.

Yousef al-Mahmoud, spokesman of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) consensus government, said in an emailed press statement that electing Israel as the president of a legal commission in the UN "is farce and shameful."

"This reflects a deviation of standards and a serious deterioration at all levels in relation to the UN," al-Mahmoud said, adding that "Israel is despising the international laws and has a bloody and aggressive record against another defenseless people."

The Palestinian government's spokesman stressed that all this happens amid Arab rupture and rivalry and amid internal Palestinian division. He called on the Palestinians to hurry up for unity and end their division which started in 2007.

On Monday, Israeli Public Radio reported that Israel's representative in the UN Dani Danon was elected as the president of the legal commission of the international corporation known as the sixth commission.

The radio said this commission usually tackles and debate the most sensitive issues in the field of international law including the additional protocols of Geneva and the file of international terrorism.

The radio quoted Danon as saying that he is so proud for being elected as the president of the commission," adding that "it is a big achievement for Israel after 67 years where Israel hasn't been elected as a president of any of the UN commissions."

Meanwhile, the PNA ministry of foreign affairs said in a press statement that electing Israel "is a serious slap on the face of the international law and a sad farce."

"Unfortunately, Israel was rewarded instead of being punished as an occupying state that violates the international laws," said the PNA foreign ministry statement.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party said in a statement that electing Israel at the UN "is a heavy strike and a stab in the back of the international law," adding that "this gives Israel more courage to continue with its crimes against the Palestinian people."

Islamic Hamas movement condemned electing Israel as a president of the UN commission. It said in a press statement that it is an international reward to the Israeli terrorism and is encouraging more Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people." Endit