NEW YORK: The Human Rights Watch criticised on Wednesday the British government’s decision to put conditionality on its support for Palestinian bid for observer status at the United Nations on Thursday.

Phillipe Bolopian, director for Human Rights Watch said in a statement: “The UK’s offer to support non-member observer state status at the UN for the Palestinians only if they promise not to seek access to the International Criminal Court contradicts its stated commitment to accountability for serious international crimes.”

“Pressing the Palestinians to forgo international justice is wrong in principle, will damage the UK’s credibility, and will do nothing to advance human rights protections for either Palestinians or Israelis. Recent events in Gaza and Israel make it more, not less, urgent to tackle impunity for past international crimes by all sides.”