Anger over US block on new UN envoy to Libya

RAMALLAH // The Palestinian Authority yesterday condemned as “blatant discrimination” a US decision to block the appointment of former prime minister Salam Fayyad as UN peace envoy to Libya. UN chief Antonio Guterres nominated Mr Fayyad to the post on Thursday and the Security Council had been expected to approve his appointment.

But late on Friday, US ambassador Nikki Haley said she was blocking the appointment because “for too long, the UN has been unfairly biased in favour of the Palestinian Authority to the detriment of our allies in Israel”.

Palestine Liberation Organisation executive committee member Hanan Ashrawi called the move unconscionable.

“Blocking the appointment of Dr Salam Fayyad is a case of blatant discrimination on the basis of national identity,” she said.

US president Donald Trump and Ms Haley have criticised the UN for adopting a resolution in December that demanded an end to Israeli settlement building.

“Going forward, the United States will act, not just talk, in support of our allies,” Ms Haley said on Friday.

Mr Guterres yesterday defended his choice, which “was solely based on Mr Fayyad’s recognised personal qualities and his competence for that position”, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

“United Nations staff serve strictly in their personal capacity. They do not represent any government or country,” he said. Mr Dujarric said no Israeli or Palestinian had served in a high-level post at the United Nations, and that “this is a situation that the secretary general feels should be corrected”, based on personal merit and competence of the candidates. Appointments of the UN special representatives of the secretary general require the unanimous backing of the 15-member council.

Mr Fayyad’s blocking comes as the situation in Libya deteriorates. A group of Libyan militias entered the capital, Tripoli, on Thursday and said they were creating a “Libyan National Guard”, to the alarm of the country’s unity government.

The Libyan capital has been controlled by dozens of militias with shifting loyalties and territories since the overthrow of dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. On Thursday, Mahmud Zagal, a militia commander from Misurata, said the guard would stay out of “political, party and tribal disputes”. It aims to continue the fight against ISIL, secure state institutions and diplomatic missions, Mr Zagal said.

It did not say whether or not it would support Libya’s UNbacked Government of National Accord, which has struggled to assert its authority across Libya or even control the cap- ital. A GNA source said yesterday that most of the groups involved had taken part in a seven-month battle to oust ISIL from its stronghold of Sirte, which fell in December.

Misurata’s well- armed militias, which control much of western Libya, led the fight but say the GNA stopped supporting them after Sirte fell.

“They now feel marginalised and are looking for support,” the source said. GNA officials yesterday met the group’s leaders to try to find a solution.

Several locals said the militias included backers of Khalifa Ghweil, the leader of a self-proclaimed Government of National Salvation that last month tried and failed to seize three government ministries. The development weakens the GNA, which has been unable to establish its authority despite its efforts to create a “Presidential Guard”.