Syria: Israeli authorities continue to flout international resolutions in full view of world

The Israeli occupation authorities continue, in full view of the world, to flout the international legitimacy resolutions that reject the occupation of the Palestinian territories and the Syrian Golan, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Dr. Faisal al-Hamwi said.
Al-Hamwi was speaking in a declaration he delivered in Syria’s name before the Geneva-based Human Rights Council during a session held to discuss the human rights situation in the occupied Arab lands.
“The Israeli occupation authorities persist in their arrogance and belligerence, as well as exacerbating the situation in the region, prompting a deterioration of the humanitarian conditions in the occupied Palestinian lands, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan,’’ he said.
Al-Hamwi cited a campaign of Judaization in Jerusalem which is accelerating at a hectic pace amid international inaction.
He said Jewish settlers are vying in their daily provocations against civilians, Islamic and Christian sanctities, religious and historical sites and farm lands, not to mention continued daily crimes against civilians in the Arab territories and human rights violations.
“Thousands of Palestinian and Syrian prisoners have been in Israeli jails for over thirty years, suffering from the worst forms of international human rights violations, particularly Geneva 1949 agreement on the treatment of civilians and their protection during wartime,’’ he said.
Israel continues to ban Syrian citizens in the Golan from visiting their families in Syria via Quneitra crossing, in a shameless defiance of all relevant international agreements, he added.
“The whole world is seeing Israeli grave human rights violations and discriminatory practices, as confirmed by 46 reports issued since 1967 by the UN committee tasked with monitoring the practices of the Israeli authorities in the occupied Arab lands,’’ al-Hamwi pointed out.
He praised the courage and professionalism of Mr. Richard Falk, the UNHRC Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories during his six years’ tenure, lauding his unyielding perseverance that has always run against the Israeli occupation authorities’ arrogance and aggressiveness.
Israel has doubled these violations and military attacks, taking advantage of the current tragic circumstances in the Arab region with a view to perpetuate its occupation of Arab lands and rob its resources, he pointed out.
He said Israel has to realize that these violations won’t make the Syrians abdicate their rights and land to Israeli occupation. “Aggressions and crimes won’t bring peace to Israel, and a policy of settlement building and non-stop attacks won’t make Israel safe,’’ he added.
Al-Hamwi affirmed that the sole way to realize peace is respecting and implementing the international legitimacy resolutions that promote peoples’ right to self-determination and call for Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied Arab lands.
Syria would like to reaffirm that pro forma condemnation and dealing with these violations in a routine way by the Council and Israel’s allies, particularly the US, will encourage a continuation of this aberrant status quo, al-Hamwi said.
“It will also reinforce Israel’s conviction that it is above accountability and international law, and will lead consequently to ruining the credibility of the UN organization,’’ he concluded.