Maliki said the following at the UN Human Rights Council during the opening of its 37th session in Geneva this week. 

He said that the international community must do more to 'confront the Israeli colonial settlement system' in the Palestinian territories, including east Jerusalem and the West Bank, the Jerusalem Post reported.

"Practical measures are needed against the settlers, including preventing them from entering your country," he said, stating that it needs more than just trade prohibitions with Israeli-controlled areas.

Maliki was also harsh on US President Donald Trump's decision to relocate the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

He said that while the move on May 14 will coincide with Israel’s celebration of its 70th anniversary, it will also take place on the eve of what is known as Nakba day on May 15, “the day of the catastrophe.”

According to records, in 1948 on the same day, 700,000 Palestinians either fled or were expelled from their communities.

He said that US' siding with Israel will only encourage the state to keep on 'violating the rights of Palestinians'.

Meanwhile, reacting to Maliki's plea, US Ambassador Mary Catherine Phee said, "It is unacceptable that the HRC treats Israel differently from every other UN member.”

“The institutional integrity of the Council demands that the efforts to delegitimize and isolate Israel through such blatant bias must end," Phee told the council.

Reacting sharply to Palestinian comments, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Aviva Raz Shechter, called the neighbouring state antisemetic.

"It’s time to see the constant discrimination of Israel in this council – by the resolutions that pass by an automatic majority – as stemming out of deeper reasons. Listen to the incitement in the Palestinian territories, nurturing the younger generations with hatred and antisemitic feelings," she said.

"While antisemitism is raising its ugly head in many countries, the reports and resolutions that are aimed at the creation of databases, boycott and divestment are yet another manifestation of the bias against the Jewish state. Let us acknowledge this shameful reality in this council and say ‘Enough is enough,’” Shechter added.
 

Maliki Image: Ricardo Patiño/Wikipedia