LONDON: The British government is applying “double standards and hypocrisy” to its policies toward Israel and international law, Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot has said.
Zomlot slammed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for rejecting South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza war, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
“The UK government stands by Israel’s clear right to defend itself within the framework of international law,” a spokesperson for the prime minister said.
Zomlot said the UK has suffered “reputational damage” in the Middle East, describing its opposition to the genocide allegations as “a self-appointment as international judges,” and “interference in the international judicial system.”
The Palestinian envoy also condemned a government bill banning public bodies from boycotting economic activity with Israel or Israeli settlements, the BBC reported. The bill passed its third and final reading in the House of Commons last Wednesday and will now proceed to the House of Lords.
“This is the inconsistency,” Zomlot said at a news conference in London. “Where are you (the UK) exactly? Do you consider Israel’s occupation of the 1967 borders to be a military occupation and colonization?
“There is such inconsistency in the UK policy that I... no longer understand if you ask me, ‘What is the UK policy vis-a-vis Palestine?’ I don’t know. Inconsistent, contradictory.”
However, Zomlot welcomed the UK’s recent decision to ban Israeli settlers responsible for attacks on Palestinians from entering the country.
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron announced the move on X last month after the US revealed a similar plan.
“(This is) welcomed,” Zomlot said. “In my opinion, that was a very significant moment — not because of the policy itself, but because this is the first time in 75 years the UK takes any step that has to do with sanctions (on Israel).”
There has been a reported increase in settler violence against Palestinians in recent months, especially since Hamas launched its attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
Around 700,000 Jewish settlers live in 140 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Israel has occupied since the 1967 Middle East war and Palestinians claim for a future state.
Palestinian envoy slams UK over ‘double standards’ in policies toward Israel
https://arab.news/v9uaj
Palestinian envoy slams UK over ‘double standards’ in policies toward Israel
- Britain has suffered ‘reputational damage’ in Middle East because of ‘contradictory’ stance, says Husam Zomlot
No sign Iran’s nuclear sites were hit, IAEA says, but Iran alleges one was
VIENNA: The UN nuclear watchdog has no indication Israeli and US attacks on Iran have hit any nuclear facilities, its chief Rafael Grossi told the agency’s Board of Governors on Monday, moments before Iran’s envoy said one was targeted a day earlier.
Iran’s nuclear program has been among the reasons Israel and the US have given for the attacks, alleging Iran was getting too close to being able to eventually make an atom bomb.
At the same time, what remains of Iran’s atomic facilities after the two militaries attacked them in June appears to have been largely spared in this campaign so far.
“We have no indication that any of the nuclear installations ... have been damaged or hit,” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said in a statement to a meeting of his agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors.
What that assessment was based on is unclear, since he also said his agency had not been able to reach its counterparts in Iran. Tehran has not let the IAEA return to its bombed facilities since they were attacked in June.
“Efforts to contact the Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities ... continue, with no response so far. We hope this indispensable channel of communication can be re-established as soon as possible,” he said.
Moments later, Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, told reporters outside the closed-door meeting that the sprawling nuclear complex at Natanz had been attacked.
Natanz housed two uranium-enrichment plants that were attacked in June — an above-ground one that the IAEA says was destroyed and an underground one that was at least badly damaged, among other facilities.
“Again they attacked Iran’s peaceful, safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday,” Najafi said. Asked by Reuters which facilities were hit, he replied: “Natanz” and left.
