A Palestinian protester uses a slingshot to hurl stones at Israeli troops during clashes on the Gaza-Israel border, east of Gaza City on April 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Khaled Omar)
UNITED NATIONS, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Friday circulated among Security Council members yet another press statement on the Israeli-Palestinian clashes in Gaza, as a similar statement was blocked last week by the United States.
Kuwaiti ambassador to the United Nations Mansour Al-Otaibi, whose country is a member of the Security Council, told reporters that his delegation has just circulated another press statement among council members.
Palestinian protestors pile up tyres for burning them during a clash with Israeli soldiers along the Gaza Strip-Israel border, east of the south Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis, April 3, 2018. (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar)
The text of the second statement is "almost identical" to the one circulated last week and does not contain condemnation of Israel, said the ambassador.
"Kuwait's position is clear. This is a matter that the council should address and (should) have a unified position toward," said Otaibi. "What is happening is a clear violation of international law."
Palestinian protesters carry an injured man during clashes on the Gaza-Israel border, east of GazaCity on April 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Khaled Omar)
Bloody clashes resumed on Friday between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces along the Israel-Gaza border. The permanent observer of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, who appeared in a press encounter with Otaibli, said nine Palestinians, including one child, was killed on Friday and 1,000 others were injured. Since May 30, almost 30 Palestinians have been killed and 2,500 others injured in two rounds of clashes with Israeli security forces, he said.
The figures cannot be independently confirmed.
Israeli soldiers take positions during a clash with Palestinian protesters in the West Bank city of Hebron, on March 31, 2018. (Xinhua/Mamoun Wazwaz)
Mansour said the Security Council has the responsibility to send a message to Palestinians that the council is not abandoning them, that it is with them and defending their rights.
"There is only one country that is refusing to allow the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility. This is unacceptable and we have to find a way in order to make is not the case any more," he said.
Ambassador Otaibi expressed the hope that the new statement will be adopted by the Security Council to show unity and to voice concern over what is happening in Gaza, and to demand Israel stop killing unarmed civilians.
