United Nations, January 17 (RHC)-- The United Nations is calling on Israel to unlock $127 million in taxes owed to the Palestinian Authority that were withheld after the Palestinians decided to join the International Criminal Court.

A senior U.N. official, Jens Anders Toyberg-Frandzen, told the Security Council that the freeze was in violation of the Oslo agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. He said: "We call on Israel to immediately resume the transfer of tax revenue. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is now entering uncharted territory, which, lamentably, seems to have dashed any immediate hope for a return to peace talks."

Riyad Mansour, Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, said his government was undeterred by Israel’s actions. Mansour said: "The focus must be on ending this illegitimate, belligerent, colonial Israeli occupation in all its manifestations and realizing the international consensus for a peaceful solution. We will thus continue to reject all of the irrational arguments against our peaceful, nonviolent, political, diplomatic and legal endeavors and will continue on this path for justice and peace."