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Palestine withdraws high-ranking official in US over embassy move

Wednesday, 16 May 2018 1:35 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 16 May 2018 10:06 AM ]

Palestinians protest as tear gas fumes erupt in the southern Gaza Strip on May 15, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

Palestine has withdrawn its top representative to the United States, one day after Washington moves its embassy to Jerusalem al-Quds.

According to a statement released by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization's office in Washington, Husam Zomlot, would be leaving the US on Wednesday.

Over sixty Palestinians were killed during Monday protests over the opening of the new US embassy in Jerusalem, one day ahead of 'Nakba Day,' according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ongoing protests in Gaza are part of the “March of Return,” which first began on March 30 with the aim of condemning Israel’s occupation and demanding their right to return.

Monday, which marked the bloodiest day for Palestinians since the 2014 Gaza war, also saw the official relocation of the American embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.

Surrounded by fellow Arab ambassadors to the United Nations, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations Riyad Mansour speaks during a press briefing following a UN Security Council meeting concerning the violence on the Gaza Strip, at United Nations headquarters, May 15, 2018 in New York City.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations has slammed the killing of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as war crimes.

"Of course, this massacre is taking place at the same time when the United States of America illegally and unilaterally and in a provocative way is opening its embassy," he said.

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Washington has already blocked the adoption of a UN statement calling for an investigation into the killing of Palestinians.

"It is very, very tragic that they are celebrating an illegal action while Israel is killing and injuring thousands of Palestinian civilians. This is the life of the Palestinian people, and those who think that opening the embassy opens doors to peace, let them look at what is really happening in the Gaza Strip," he added.

While addressing a UNSC meeting Riyad Mansour said that the US was responsible for the Palestinian deaths.

"If this happened in any nation what do you expect anything less than a complete outrage by the nation against such an atrocity committed by an occupying power?" he added.

He added that by relocating its embassy to Jerusalem the US had amplified the people’s resentment and an atmosphere of hatred had been produced.

"These war crimes need to be dealt with by the Security Council and the international appropriate legal system to bring those criminals to justice, because the Palestinian people should not be the exception to the rule," he further noted.

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