NEW YORK: Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyadh Malki on Thursday criticized US President Joe Biden for being too slow to reverse all the adversarial policies of the former President Donald Trump administration against the Palestinians and using Washington’s special ties to Israel. Abandoned the “rejection of two” to put pressure on. State settlement and peace negotiations. ,
Malki told the UN Security Council that there were hopes that the end of Donald Trump’s administration and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be “enough to pave the way for a renewed momentum for peace.”
But while the Biden administration reversed several “illegal and ill-advised” Trump policies, it said it has been slow to act, particularly on a US commitment to reopen the US consulate in East Jerusalem that is not accessible to Palestinians. to restore Washington’s main diplomatic mission. Contested city.
After Biden took office a year ago, Palestinians thought the US might be “trying to steer Israel’s position on our side,” Malki later told reporters.
“But we have seen that the Israeli position is able to push the American position a little bit towards them – and that really bothers us a lot.”
“The US has not yet ensured that the current Israeli government abandons its colonial policies and rejects the two-state solution and peace talks,” Malki said.
“This is an unacceptable stance that should neither be tolerated nor condoned and should be reversed.”
Malki said he had “a very open, frank discussion” with US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Wednesday about US-Palestinian relations, the peace process, Palestinian expectations from the US and “what they are trying to do in the near future.” ” Are included. Looking forward to seeing things moving in the right direction.”
He said the Palestinians are talking with the US administration about possible ways to end the sanctions imposed by Congress on the reopening of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington.
UN Middle East envoy Tor Venesland told the council that last month six Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces in the West Bank, another killed under unclear circumstances, and 249 Palestinians were injured, including 46 children.
He said 15 Israelis were injured in Palestinian attacks.
Malki called on the Security Council to take immediate action to resolve the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to salvage the two-state solution, which calls for Israel’s quick settlement building, demolishing Palestinian homes, confiscation of Palestinian land and Even points to the annexation of Palestinian land. ,
Malki warned, “In the absence of this sense of urgency, prepare yourself to attend the funeral of this solution, which will have all the consequences of such death for the lives of millions of people, Palestinians and others.” “
“The Palestinian people will survive, but there cannot be a two-state solution,” he said.
“What happens then? Will you convert into advocates of a one-state solution of liberty between river and sea and equal rights for all? Then that will be the only option available.”
Malki urged support for an international peace conference and echoed Russia’s call for a ministerial meeting of a quartet of Middle East mediators – the US, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia – to “speed up efforts to get out of the current impasse.” To collect quickly.”
He said the United Nations, the European Union and Russia have agreed to a ministerial meeting but “we are still waiting for the approval of the US side.”
He said the three other quartet members should explain to the US the importance of a ministerial meeting to advance the Middle East peace process.
US Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield made no mention of meeting with Malki or the quartet in his briefing to the council, but he reaffirmed the Biden administration’s “strong support for the two-state solution” and said that “this year provides an opportunity”. To recommend reaching a political solution to the conflict.”
The US envoy, who visited Israel and the West Bank in November, reiterated that Israel and the Palestinians are “locked in a spiral of distrust.”
“Israelis does not believe that they have a partner for peace, while Palestinians are mired in despair created by the complete absence of a political horizon,” she said.
To make progress, Thomas-Greenfield said both sides must avoid unilateral moves that escalate tensions and undermine efforts toward a two-state solution.
It means Israel must refrain from territory, settlement activity, demolition and eviction “as we saw in Sheikh Jarrah,” the Jerusalem neighborhood where Israel on Wednesday evicted Palestinian residents from a disputed property and demolished it, And the Palestinians must stop inciting violence. To compensate imprisoned individuals “for acts of terrorism,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
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