John Baird had just finished talks with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Maliki at the Foreign Ministry building when a crowd of 100 Palestinians started hurling eggs and shoes at his motorcade. Despite the flaring tempers, Palestinian special forces refrained from any interference, Reuters notes.
The diplomat sustained no harm, but one egg smashed on his car roof.
The demonstrators shouted at the Canadian Foreign Minister and showed slogans reading "Baird you are not welcome in Palestine," the Haaretz says. Earlier, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party members demanded a boycott of the Canadian politician.
#Palestinians throw eggs at #Canadian envoy John Baird, escalating diplomatic spat http://t.co/Lr7iEWgYBL pic.twitter.com/ICyPTgyk5g
— The Straits Times (@STcom) 18 января 2015
According to the statement issued by the Canadian Foreign Ministry after the talks, John Baird asked Riyad Maliki to abstain from any political moves that could endanger the Israeli-Palestinian settlement.
Palestinians threw eggs at Canada's FM John Baird outside the foreign ministry building in Ramallah. pic.twitter.com/TQ31exyZw4
— Breaking News (@NewsOnTheMin) 18 января 2015
“I asked that the minister strongly reconsider the consequences of moving forward with any action that may be counterproductive to a negotiated solution with the State of Israel,” the statement reads.
Moreover, it was Canada, along with several other countries, that vetoed Palestine’s bid to obtain non-member status at the UN General Assembly back in 2012, Reuters recalls.
Palestinian top negotiator Saeb Erakat slammed Canada’s position to block Palestine’s attempts to reach international recognition.
"Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird has contributed to Israeli violations of Palestinian inalienable rights, including our right to self-determination, by systematically lobbying against all Palestinian diplomatic initiatives," he said according to AFP.
Palestinians protest Baird's visit by hurling eggs, shoes at convoy — The Globe and Mail http://t.co/l1VijBep0q pic.twitter.com/dHM7uNczZU
— #SocialMedia NC (@greensboro_nc) 18 января 2015
John Baird arrived in the region to meet with both Israeli and Palestinian representatives during a five-day trip. After the negotiations with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Mailki he moved on to hold talks with Israeli foreign policy chief Avigdor Lieberman and President Reuven Rivlin.
The ICC bid was yet another attempt to continue to seek the adoption of Palestinian state resolution. Abbas also announced plans to use the ICC membership to sue Israeli politicians and military, who had occupied the Palestinian territory.
The failed resolution stipulated the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in 1967, with Tel Aviv withdrawing all of its forces by the end of 2017.
