Palestine National Council (PNC) considered the move by Czech Republic and Kosovo Territory to open offices for their countries' embassies in occupied Jerusalem as an illegal act that rewards the Israeli occupier instead of making Israel accountable and imposing penalties on it.
In a statement issued today, Monday, PNC added that this step is an explicit recognition of Israel's illegal annexation of the occupied city of Jerusalem, and it is a unilateral step that violates the legal status of this occupied city, which requires accountability and punishment of the occupier in accordance with international law.
PNC also considered the opening of the offices a blatant assault on the right of the Palestinian people, and a violation of international law and international legitimacy resolutions, which all affirmed that Jerusalem is an occupied Palestinian city. PNC called on the parliament of Czech Republic and Kosovo to pressure the governments of their countries to backtrack on this irresponsible step that violates the resolutions of international legitimacy, which will not have any legal effect and will not change anything in the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem, and its fate will not be determined by unilateral decisions that are inconsistent with the principles of justice, respect for peoples' rights, and United Nations resolutions.
International parliaments should exert pressure on the parliaments of Czech Republic and Kosovo to oblige the governments of their countries to backtrack on this condemned step and adhere to UN Security Council resolutions, especially Resolutions 476 and 478 of 1980 and Resolution 2334 of 2016, which called on all countries not to establish diplomatic missions in the city of Jerusalem, and that all administrative and legal decisions and measures taken by Israel in Jerusalem are absolutely null and void, PNC called on and explained.