Foreign Minister Says Legal Proceedings Will Soon Start Against British Government

Ramallah, MINA – Foreign Minister Riyad Malki said on Thursday that legal proceedings against the British government will be soon brought before British, European and international courts to lift the injustice inflicted on the Palestinian people by the Balfour Declaration.

He said in a statement that the State of Palestine “made every effort possible to persuade the British government to abandon plans to celebrate the centennial of the Balfour Declaration because such a celebration shows lack of sensitivity to the Palestinian people.”

However, because these efforts have failed to yield results and because of its moral and national obligation towards its people, the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry will soon act to bring legal proceedings before the British courts against the British government to remedy its mistake of 100 years, Malki said, Wafa reported.

He said the ministry will contract a British law firm to follow up on these legal proceedings “in order to bring justice and lift the historic injustice inflicted on the Palestinian people, and compel the British government to apologize and make reasonable reparations to make up for that tragedy , including recognizing the State of Palestine.”

He said his ministry will work on encouraging Palestinians who were affected by the implementation of the Balfour promise to bring similar claims, particularly by those who hold British citizenship, in addition to British citizens who were affected by the policies of their governments towards Palestine as a result of this promise.

Malki noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates will complete its legal procedures by examining the possibility of bringing legal proceedings before the European and international courts to achieve justice.(R/R04/RS5)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)