By Merve Aydogan
HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - Palestinian envoy to the UN Riyad Mansour made an "urgent appeal" to the international community as Israel continues its ‘genocidal war" against Palestinians.
"For 10 months, Israel has been committing genocide against the Palestinian people, its actions, particularly in the Gaza Strip, breaching every prohibition of the Genocide Convention," Mansour said in a letter to the Security Council.
"The failure to hold Israel accountable for its grave breaches of international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, and violations of UN resolutions has only further emboldened its impunity with disastrous ramifications for the Palestinian people, our region and global peace and stability," said Mansour
He detailed atrocities committed by Israeli forces, claiming that more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since last October, the majority in Gaza.
Mansour accused Israel of targeting civilians, stating, "For 10 months, Israeli soldiers have wantonly and willfully carried out acts of genocide," including the killing of Palestinian civilians, inflicting serious physical and mental harm and imposing living conditions intended to cause physical destruction.
The envoy called for immediate and tangible measures of accountability, urging the Security Council, General Assembly and all states to act against Israel’s " genocidal mania" and to end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
The letter is part of 844 missives documenting Israeli crimes since September 2000, calling for the international community to take urgent action to protect Palestinian lives and pursue a just and peaceful resolution to the conflict.