PLO Says Criticism of Israel’s Settlements Not Enough

Ramallah, 08 Muharram 1438/09 October 2016 (MINA) – The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) demanded that action be taken against Israel’s settlement policy instead of only criticizing it, WAFA reported on Saturday.

The United States, the United Nations and other world powers have issued strongly worded statements criticizing Israeli plans to build hundreds of new settlement units in the occupied West Bank.

PLO Secretary General Saeb Erekat said in a statement that it is not enough to only criticize Israel without taking action to force it to end this policy.

“Although we welcome the [US] State Department’s criticism of Israel’s plans to construct a new settlement in the occupied State of Palestine, we expect the United States to translate its statements into real action,” he said.

“After almost 50 years of systematic Israeli colonization and belligerent military occupation of the State of Palestine, the US must implement the necessary tools to end Israeli settlements, including through the UN Security Council, end funding to Israel, and stop funding settlements through US-based organizations fueling violence and discrimination against Palestinians,” he said.

Erekat said official Israeli statements leave no doubt about its intention to continue with settlement construction.

“The statement of the Israeli Foreign Ministry simply reconfirms the current Israeli right-wing extremist government’s positions to strengthen the settlements and promote the current Apartheid reality they have imposed on the Palestinian people,” he said.

“Settlements are illegal under international law, and the international community, including the United States, must completely and unequivocally boycott Israeli settlements in all areas,” concluded Erekat. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)