Mladenov calls for administrative detainees’ release

The UN Secretary General’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov called for the release of all Palestinian administrative detainees held in Israeli jails without charge or trial.

During a press conference held Wednesday in Gaza, Mladenov expressed his total rejection of what has been happening to Mohamed al-Qeiq as it contradicts with the international law.

“The UN has spoken very clearly against administrative detention not only in the state of Israel but everywhere around the world. We believe that this practice violates the international humanitarian law”, he said.

He expressed the UN’s belief that everyone that has been detained under these conditions must be immediately charged or released. The UN official urged all parties to find a reasonable compromise for this situation.

“I came here to tackle two main issues, mainly the reconstruction process and the national reconciliation”, he explained.

“The UN believes that Gaza and the West Bank should as quickly as possible reunite under a single government and one Palestinian legislative authority.”

“It is important for the political factions to achieve a united government based on the PLO principles of democracy and legitimacy.”

He expressed his total support for the ongoing inter-Palestinian talks in Doha.

“We call on both parties (Hamas and Fatah movements) to continue their efforts and to take as much time as they need to reach a reasonable compromise that facilitates the establishment of a national unity government.”

On the other hand, Mladenov said that he visited Shejaiyah neighborhood, one of the hardest hit areas in the Israeli summer aggression on Gaza.

“We face some serious challenges in the reconstruction process, mainly the lack of funding. Only 30 percent of the Cairo conference pledges were met”, he revealed.

Mladenov also pointed to the UN ongoing efforts to facilitate the movement of goods and people between Gaza and the West Bank.