Palestine on Tuesday relinquished its right to take the rotating presidency of the Arab League in protest of recent deals to normalise relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Israel.
“Palestine has decided to concede its right in chairing the council of the League at its current session, there is no honour in seeing Arabs running towards normalisation during its presidency”, Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki (pictured) told a press conference in Ramallah.
“Since the decision was taken in Washington, there is no point in trying to convince some not to normalise, especially when they are not decision makers”, said Maliki.
Maliki also said the decision was taken after the Arab League Secretariat took a supporting position to the UAE and Bahrain, which normalised their relations with Israel in violation of the Arab Peace Initiative.
He noted that some influential Arab states refused to condemn the violation of the Arab Peace initiative.
Al-Maliki, however, stressed that Palestine will not withdraw from the Arab League.
On September 9, the pan-Arab body failed to issue a resolution condemning the move by Abu Dhabi and Manama to normalise their relations with Israel.
On September 15, the UAE and Bahrain signed US-sponsored agreements to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, amid strong condemnations from the Palestinians.
(Reuters)
