CAIRO // The Arab League on Thursday voted to gather international support for another UN resolution to end Israel’s occupation of Palestine.
And the League said it would present the European Parliament and the UN with a draft resolution criminalising attacks against religion under the pretext of freedom of speech, state news agency Wam reported.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas asked the meeting of foreign ministers to help him to try again after the UN Security Council rejected his bid for an end to occupation last month.
Several Arab countries were given the task of preparing a new Arab proposal to the Security Council, the League said.
The UAE was represented by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
After last month’s failed bid, the Palestinians were granted a request to join the International Criminal Court, paving the way for them to pursue Israeli leaders for alleged war crimes.
In reply, Israel froze the transfer of €106 million (Dh452.5m) in taxes collected on behalf of the Palestinians, and threatened legal action against Palestinian leadership.
The attempt to end occupation by the end of 2017 was rejected at the Security Council on December 30, with the US and non-permanent member Australia voting against it.
China, France and Russia were among eight countries that backed the resolution, just one vote short of the nine required.
Five countries seen as having a more pro-Palestinian stance began their term at the Security Council this month: Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the pan-Arab Parliament has condemned the republication by European media of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed after last week’s attack on the offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.
“The Arab Parliament reiterates its condemnation of all forms and manifestations of terrorism, and also condemns and denounces the reprinting of the offensive caricatures of Prophet Mohammed, who was sent by Allah as a mercy to mankind,” said Ahmed Al Jarwan, also a member of the UAE Federal National Council.
Mr Al Jarwan added that the principles of freedom of expression did not mean mocking the beliefs of others.
* Agencies
