Ambassador Ala: Israeli Occupation Takes Advantage of US Protection, Disregards Its Legal Obligations

GENEVA- Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Hussam Eddin Ala, affirmed that the Israeli occupation continues to disregard all its legal obligations, taking advantage of the protection from accountability provided by the United States and its allies, SANA reported.

In a statement during the 38th ordinary session of the Human Rights Council, which discusses the 7th item on the situation of human rights in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories, Ambassador Ala said that this item (7th item) is becoming increasingly important as the crimes of the occupation authorities escalate and their violations of international law and fundamental human rights in the occupied Palestine and in the occupied Syrian Golan increase.

 According to SANA, ambassador Ala added that this reality holds the Human Rights Council particularly responsible in dealing with these violations and practices that affect all the civil, political, economic, cultural and social rights of the Palestinian people and the occupied Syrian Golan’s inhabitants.

The Ambassador noted that in the light of the unprecedented Israeli settlement expansion, Syria warns of the dangers of settlements and the human rights violations accompanying them in Palestine and in the occupied Syrian Golan, some of which amount to war crimes such as the forcible transfer of population, the demolition of houses, the confiscation of lands and properties, the theft of natural resources, the destruction of agricultural crops and livelihoods, and the attempt by the occupying entity to exploit the settlements as a fait accompli to justify its illegal decisions.

He added that Syria calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all Palestinian and Arab prisoners held in Israeli jails, chief among them is the Syrian Prisoners Sedqi al-Maqt and Amal Abu Saleh, who have been subjected to arbitrary detention, solitary confinement and torture after being subject to mock trials and malicious charges.

Ambassador Ala expressed Syria’s condemnation of the negative position adopted by the European Union regarding the discussions of the 7th item, especially its negative vote on the resolution of human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan during the last session, warning of the serious consequences of this position which can only be explained by supporting the occupation of Israel and its practices and attempts to heighten the regional tensions by repeating attacks on the Syrian territory and its continued direct military and logistical support to the terrorist organizations of Jabhat al-Nusra and Daesh (ISIS) in the separation of forces area in Golan and beyond.

The Ambassador added that Syria reiterates its call for a full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories, including al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, to the line of June 4, 1967 and from the rest of occupied Lebanese territory.