PCOM Calls For International Move To End Israeli Apartheid, Cites ESCWA Report

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 (Bernama) -- The Palestinian Cultural Organisation Malaysia (PCOM) has called on the international community to launch an international campaign against the Israeli apartheid regime, in light of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) recent report. "The release of the ESCWA report accusing Israel of imposing an apartheid regime on Palestinians was an added reminder of Israel's ethnic discrimination," PCOM said in a statement, here, Wednesday. PCOM, established in 2011 as an independent non-governmental organisation, also urged all free nations of the world to take all necessary steps to end the sorry plight of the Palestinians. The report released last week, said that "Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid" on the Palestinians and recommended that governments support boycott, divestment and sanction activities on Israel. However, the publication titled "Israeli Practices Towards the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid" was later withdrawn and removed from the UN agency's website. "The withdrawal of the report after it sparked outrage in Israel does not hide the truth and should encourage free people around the world to further expose Israeli crimes and mobilise efforts to end the sufferings of the Palestinians," PCOM said. The ESCWA report listed several Israeli apartheid policies, including prohibiting Palestinian refugees and exiles from returning to their homes in Occupied Palestine; discrimination in access to education, healthcare, employment, residency and building rights; as well as expulsions and home demolitions. Malaysian-based PCOM also applauds the strong position of the former head of ESCWA, Rima Khalaf, who initially published the report and then resigned in protest of its withdrawal. International news reports stated that UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric as saying that the report was published without any prior consultation with the UN Secretariat and its views did not reflect those of the secretary-general. The Beirut-based ESCWA comprising 18 Arab countries, was established in 1973, to stimulate economic activities in member countries and strengthen cooperation among them to promote development. -- BERNAMA