The Palestinian Authority filed a case on Friday with the United Nations’ highest court asking its judges to order Washington to remove the newly opened US embassy from Jerusalem.
The Palestinians’ case asks the court judges “to order the United States of America to withdraw the diplomatic mission from the Holy City of Jerusalem”, the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) said.
Cases at the court can take years to complete. Its decisions are final and legally binding but are not always adhered to. No date was immediately set for hearings.
The move comes against a backdrop of deeply strained ties between Washington and the Palestinians.
The Palestinian Authority broke off contact with the US after Donald Trump administration decided in December to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to move its embassy there from Tel Aviv in May.
Trump’s announcement triggered a joyous reaction from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nationalist government.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas halted ties with the Trump administration and declared it unfit to remain in its role as the sole mediator in peace talks.
In his address to the UN General Assembly, Abbas said:
“We will also not accept sole American mediation in the peace process.”
He accused Trump of being biased towards Israel since taking office in January 2017.
‘Jerusalem is not for sale’ #Palestinian President Abbas tells world leaders at UN Assembly#UNNewsStory #UNGAhttps://t.co/2A88g7LUYE
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) September 27, 2018
He added:
“With all of these decisions, this administration has reneged on all previous US commitments, and even undermined the two-state solution.”
The US has also cut more than $200 million in aid to the Palestinians and canceled its support for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
(Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, PC, Social Media)
