Riyad Mansour
Riyad MansourReuters

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Authority (PA) observer at the UN, on Wednesday blamed Israel for the latest escalation in Gaza.

His comments, quoted by Yediot Aharonot, came at an emergency session of the Security Council on the rocket fire from Gaza.

"The latest war began following an Israeli provocation. Israel is concerned about presenting itself as a victim in the whole story, and forgets that it is the dominant and occupying force in the Palestinian territories,” charged Mansour.

"The fact that the IDF killed innocent and unarmed civilians, including children, in demonstrations on May 14 seems to have been forgotten,” he added.

The U.S. requested Wednesday’s session following Tuesday’s barrage of more than 80 rockets and mortars that were fired from Gaza at southern Israel.

During the meeting, Kuwait blocked a U.S.-drafted statement that would have strongly condemned the firing of rockets and mortar shells on Israel.

The United States had circulated the draft text ahead of the emergency Council meeting. Kuwait, a non-permanent council member that represents Arab countries, said that it was blocking the statement to allow for consideration of a draft resolution it has put forward on the protection of Gazan civilians.

Mansour in his remarks referred to the violent riots along the Israel-Gaza border on May 14, the day on which the United States Embassy relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The riots were openly encouraged by Hamas and, while civilians were indeed among those killed, Hamas admitted that the majority of those killed in the riots were members of the group