Foreign Ministry of Palestine Condemns Dropping Occupied Territory From US Report

Settlement building in the territories occupied by Israel is considered illegal under international law.

Ramallah, MINA – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned on Monday dropping the term “occupied territories” when referring to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip from a US State Department report on human rights.

The ministry said in a statement that this act is another one in a long list of US actions and policies targeting Palestine and the Palestinian people, Wafa News Agency reported.

It said that the current administration of US President Donald Trump has abandoned its respect for international law and has actually taken steps that violate this law by implementing illegitimate and illegal positions on Palestine and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

“The American administration is not only biased towards Israel, but fully embraces its illegal policies to a point they have become part of US ideology and policies,” said the Foreign Ministry.

It stressed, however, that by dropping the term “occupied territories” from the US State Department report, “it does not in any way mean anything and does not eliminate the concept of occupied territory according to international law and international legality, but it reveals to the world once again the reality of the US positions, especially for those who refuse to see them as they are.” (R/R04/RS5)