Last year was the deadliest in seven years for Palestinians, with 230 deaths, the Palestinian envoy in Ankara said Tuesday. He warned that further escalation is expected in 2023, as 13 Palestinians, including three children, have already been killed since early January.
“2022 was not a year of cold and peace, but rather a hot, bloody year in which the suffering of our people and nation increased,” said Ambassador Fayed Mustafa at a press conference titled “2023: a year of serious challenges facing the state” . Palestine under far-right Israeli government.”
He said 171 Palestinians had been killed in the West Bank last year and 59 Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip, making “the highest death toll in seven years.”
He added that 9,353 more Palestinians have been wounded by the Israeli army and settlers, and more than 6,500 people have been detained, including about 5,000 still languishing in Israeli prisons.
More than 830 houses and other properties have been demolished, more than 13,000 olive trees have been damaged and uprooted, and more than 13,000 housing units have been built in the West Bank, he said.
According to a Palestinian diplomat, there were more than 262 incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque by some 48,000 extremists who were protected by Israeli forces.
New Israeli government ‘most extremist’
Mustafa warned that the new Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is “the most extremist” and adheres to a “fascist and racist ideology.”
According to him, in a few days of 2023, 13 Palestinians have already been killed, including three children.
“This will be the bloodiest year we have seen in this short period,” he added.
According to Mustafa, the Israeli government continues to “hold the bodies of 118 martyrs” and has buried more than 256 people whom it refused to hand over to their families.
He condemned the visit of far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, criticizing him for turning the holy site into an “arena of religious conflict.”
Mustafa said the new Israeli government has also begun expanding illegal settlements.
“We are sending our message to our partners in the international community. It is not enough to condemn and condemn the Israeli government,” he said, calling for “solutions that will help end the injustice against the Palestinians.”
Internal divisions in Israel
Referring to recent remarks by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the Palestinian ambassador said the new right-wing government led by Netanyahu is creating “sharp divisions” in Israeli society.
Netanyahu had to “get rid of the corruption cases against him” and “had no choice but to return to the post of prime minister, relying on these parties,” Mustafa said.
“They are blackmailing Netanyahu,” he said.
He said Netanyahu was trying to “control the judiciary through amendments” that would undermine its “impartiality” and make it subservient to the government, in what some people even called an “internal coup.”
Mustafa called on governments and countries to reconsider “the desire to improve relations with an organization run by racists and fascists.”
