Thread by @PalMissionUK

In his statement at today's Arab FMs meeting, Foreign Minister Dr Riad Malki calls on Arab nations to take a stand against unilateral #Israel-UAE deal for violating Arab Peace Initiative. Thread ⤵️

Dr Malki said the #israeluaedeal violated the Arab consensus normalisation with #Israel before ending its occupation of the Palestinian territories, warning this could create a slippery slope towards similar initiatives with regards to other occupied Arab territories

Dr Malki added that the #israeluaedeal comes as the Palestinians were hit by punitive suspension of aid by some Arab states, a move for which the US administration brazenly took credit, in addition to the ongoing disposession and various forms of pressure by the Israeli occupier.

"We had a trilateral announcement that legitimised normalisation with #Israel for nothing in return, resurrected the Deal of the Century after we nipped it in the bud and recognised #Jerusalem as a capital of Israel."

Dr Malki noted that the joint Arab action at the Arab League often took decision that appeared to be "only for show, not implementation". "But there was neither commitment nor respect for these decisions."

This duplicity, Dr Malki went on to say, put #Palestine in many embarrassing situations, particularly when non-Arab countries would note that what they hear behind closed doors from Arab government contradict their Arab League commitments.

"We would boast about the Arab resolutions, but to be told that those were nothing more than just ink on paper."

He explained that even asking for an extraordinary meeting of the Arab League proved strenuous. A country refused and asked for an ordniary meeting, and later refused to even add the #IsraelUAEDeal to the agenda, while another threatened to table an alternative communiqué.

"How do we explain these acts? Are they determining what became acceptable or not for the Arab League meetings? Who defines this? Those with influence and money or who?"

"Did #Palestine go too far by asking for an extraordinary meeting or by adding an item to the agenda? Did Palestine cross pre-determined, but not declared, red lines?"

Commenting on the Arab League's Peace Initiative (2002), Dr Malki wondered if the Arab League itself, in spite of its successive resolutions, is still committed to its provisions.

"Is this initiative for show? if so, we need to know that. Is it for implementation? If so, what do we do about those who violate it?"

Given the White House announcement about the imminent signing of the #Israeluaedeal, it is obvious that the UAE is going ahead in violating the Arab League resolutions and the various resolutions issued by the relevant Arab League summits.

"Therefore we must take a stand against this step. Otherwise this meeting will be considred to be blessing this deal, colluding with it or providing it with a cover. This will not be accepted by the State of #Palestine."

Thanking Arab states for their historical positions and support for #Palestine, Dr Malki called on some Arab states not to speak on behalf of the Palestinians.

"That some of us come out to say they did it [the #Israeluaedeal] in order to [stop Isreal's annexation], even though we know the real reason, is unacceptable."

Dr Malki warned that the #IsraelUAEDeal was setting the scene for a slow annexation, judging by the recent announcements of Israeli and American officials. "Faced with these, what was really achieved with regards to annexation? Or was this a smoke screen for something else?"

Dr Malki criticised the talk about the #IsraelUAEDeal as an issue of "national sovereignty" vis-a-vis the collective Arab League actions.

"Using this logic, what would happen if some of us announced different resolutions to what we agreed upon with regards to occupied Arab [UAE] islands and territories?"

Dr Malki thanked the Arab states which refused to bow to US pressure on normalisation with #IsraelUAEDeal He added that before any normalisation with #Israel, those with the courage to do it should first work on abolishing the Arab League Peace Initiative.

Dr Malki said that Palestine's focus on joint Arab action is underpinned by a refusal to interfere in the internal affairs of Arab states.