By Awad Rajoub
RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Palestine is facing pressure to take a position regarding the Russian war in Ukraine, according to the Palestinian foreign minister.
"We are under pressure to take a stand regarding what is happening in Ukraine," Riyad al-Maliki told the official Palestine TV.
"Certainly, pressure continues on us in all directions, as well as all other countries to take a position on the Ukrainian crisis,” he added.
The chief diplomat stressed that the Palestinians are distancing themselves from the current conflict in Ukraine.
“We are a country under occupation. We cannot bear the burden of taking a position in favor of one party at the expense of another, and the repercussions of that position on us,” he added.
Russia's war on Ukraine has been met by outrage from the international community with the EU, UK, and US, among others, implementing a range of economic sanctions on Moscow.
According to UN figures, at least 331 civilians have been killed and 675 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war on Feb. 24.
More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, according to the UN refugee agency.
* Writing by Bassel Barakat