JEDDAH, 21 April 2004 — Saudi Arabia yesterday urged the international community to protect the Palestinian people from Israeli terrorism and force the Jewish state to comply with UN Security Council resolutions.
Ambassador Fouzi Shubokshi, the Kingdom’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, called upon the Security Council to prevent Israel from killing the remaining Palestinian leaders.
“How long will Israel remain above the law?” the ambassador asked a special meeting of the Security Council in New York on Monday night convened to discuss Israel’s murder of Hamas leader Abdelaziz Al-Rantissi.
“How can we explain the passive attitude of the Security Council in the face of Israeli arrogance and its flagrant defiance of international charters?” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the ambassador as saying.
Shubokshi reiterated Riyadh’s denunciation of Israel’s assassination of Palestinian leaders and said the Jewish state’s attempts to escalate the situation in the Occupied Territories would have dangerous consequences.
“Less than a month ago, the Security Council met to discuss the malicious crime committed by the Israeli government as it murdered Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his escorts.
“As the council failed to condemn that terrorist act, Israel continued its policy of murder and destruction and violation of international law and assassinated Rantissi,” the ambassador said.
“How long can the Security Council remain weak and fail to condemn Israeli terrorism?” Shubokshi demanded. “How much longer will it adopt positions that fly in the face of justice and equality?”
