Tunisia Dismisses Envoy to UN over Draft Criticizing Trump’s Peace Plan
Arab World
New York, Tunis - Ali Barada, Asharq Al-Awsat
Tunisia has suddenly and permanently fired its ambassador to the UN Moncef Baati after he prepared a Tunisian-Indonesian draft resolution, which “deeply regrets” that the US peace plan between Palestinians and Israelis “violates international law.” Meanwhile, the country's foreign ministry said in an official statement on Facebook that the envoy was sacked over his professional performance. “Tunisia's ambassador to the United Nations has been dismissed for purely professional reasons concerning his weak performance and lack of coordination with the ministry on important matters under discussion at the UN,” the statement said on Friday. “Tunisia’s non-permanent membership in the Security Council requires continuous consultation and prior coordination with the Ministry and in line with its principled positions and interests,” the statement noted, AFP reported. Tunisia holds a seat in the Security Council for two years- since early January, representing the Arab countries. Tunisia's President Kai Saied is known for his absolute support for the Palestinian cause, however, AFP quoted diplomatic sources as saying that Baati, who has occupied a seat at the UN Security Council early this year, had gone further than Saied wanted in his criticism of US President Donald Trump's long-delayed peace plan. Saied was concerned that the Baati's draft supporting the Palestinians risked damaging Tunisia’s relations with the US, the sources said. Baati had missed a closed-door briefing of the Security Council on Thursday by the US plan’s architect, Trump adviser, and son-in-law Jared Kushner. After the briefing, Kushner blamed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for a spike in violence between Palestinians and Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since the plan was unveiled on January 28. Abbas is due at the UN next week to oppose the plan and demand adherence to international law. The Palestinians hope to push for a Security Council resolution condemning the Trump plan, but any text will almost certainly be vetoed by Washington.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2121176/tunisia-dismisses-envoy-un-over-draft-criticizing-trump%E2%80%99s-peace-plan
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