US warns Israel not to demolish Palestinian village
The United States has warned Israel not to demolish a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, saying such action could have a wide impact on the region.
The US State Department said that razing buildings in the village of Susiya and displacing Palestinians would constitute a “provocative” act.
“We’re closely following developments in the village of Susiya in the West Bank, and we strongly urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from carrying out any demolitions in the village,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said on Friday.
“Demolition of this Palestinian village or of parts of it, and evictions of Palestinians from their homes would be harmful and provocative,” Kirby added.
Human rights groups say that if Israel carries out the demolition, it would force more than 300 Palestinians to leave. Israel claims the village was built “illegally.”
“Such actions have an impact beyond those individuals and families who are evicted,” Kirby said. “We are concerned that the demolition of this village may worsen the atmosphere for a peaceful resolution and would set a damaging standard for displacement and land confiscation, particularly given settlement-related activity in the area.”
“We urge Israeli authorities to work with the residents of the village to finalize a plan for the village that addresses the residents’ humanitarian needs,” the State Department spokesman added.
The latest US warning comes after the European Union made a similar call on Israel last month not to demolish the village.
The village is located just a hundred meters away from an Israeli settlement in southern al-Khalil (Hebron). Israeli settlers living illegally in the area already control over 300 hectares of Susiya’s land.
More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds (Jerusalem) in 1967.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Israel demolished 590 Palestinian-owned structures in the occupied West Bank and East al-Quds last year, displacing 1,177 people.
US, Israel after partitioning Muslim states to advance Tel Aviv’s regional domination: Iran
Senior US delegation in Syria for talks with HTS ‘terrorists’
US lawmakers call for end to military supply for Israel
VIDEO | Palestine Action keeps winning
Gaza a ‘crucible of suffering’ for civilians: Irish president
Israeli forces kill Palestinian man in raid on occupied West Bank village
Hind Rajab Foundation names Israeli war criminals vacationing after Gaza genocide
'This is cruelty, not war,' Pope Francis slams Israel's brutality against Gaza children
IRGC intelligence forces bust Takfiri terrorist team in western Iran
Syria’s de facto new ruler names Asaad al-Shibani as foreign minister
How 8-year-old Lebanese child Fawaz nixed Ben Gurion’s 76-year-old fallacy
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
