Mansour: Israel manipulating international focus on COVID-19 fight

RAMALLAH/NEW YORK, April 16 (MENA) - Palestinian Authority's Permanent Envoy to the United Nations Riyad Mansour said Israel is manipulating the international community's focus on the fight against COVID-19 for the implementation of more occupational schemes.

He made the remarks in a message which he sent this month to the United Nations secretary general and the UN Security Council chief this month, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said on Thursday.

In the message, Mansour said Israel demolished about 47 Palestinian houses and detained 267 Palestinians.

He added that 238 raids were launched and three Palestinians were killed and 52 injured.

He added that about two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are suffering severely in view of the outbreak of the COVID-19 under the 13-year Israeli siege.

He called on the international community to prod Israel into halting its violations against the Palestinians.