U.S. position on Israeli settlements "wages war against Palestinians" - Arab League

Record ID: 1444122

  • Title: U.S. position on Israeli settlements "wages war against Palestinians" - Arab League
  • Date: 25th November 2019
  • Summary: GIVAT ZEEV, WEST BANK (NOVEMBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** RAMAT GIVAT ZEEV SETTLEMENT MOSQUE IN DISTANCE / BUILDINGS IN SETTLEMENT STEEL RODS / CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WORKING ON SITE IN SETTLEMENT VARIOUS OF WORKERS CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS IN SETTLEMENT CAIRO, EGYPT (NOVEMBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS) EMERGENCY MEETING FOR FOREIGN MINISTERS AT ARAB LEAGUE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL, AHMED ABOUL GHEIT, SAYING: "Our emergency meeting today was triggered by the illegal and rejected announcement by U.S. Secretary of State (Mike Pompeo) a few days ago, in which he said that his country no longer considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank as violations of international law. We consider this announcement an extremely negative development and an unfortunate change of the U.S.'s position. We doubt that the current U.S. administration realises its true consequences and impact on the long term." ALON SHVUT, WEST BANK (NOVEMBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS) ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, TOURING SETTLEMENT OFFICIAL LOOKING AT SETTLEMENT AND PALESTINIAN VILLAGE IN DISTANCE VIEW OF SETTLEMENT AND PALESTINIAN VILLAGE IN DISTANCE OFFICIALS BRIEFING NETANYAHU SETTLEMENT, PAN TO PALESTINIAN VILLAGE CAIRO, EGYPT (NOVEMBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL, AHMED ABOUL GHEIT, SAYING: "What is really disturbing about this announcement is its negative impact on any hope to reach peace in the future. Legitimising settlements implicitly acknowledges the reality of the occupation. On which basis would the Palestinians negotiate with the Israelis if this occupation does not exist and that there are no occupied lands or settlers taking over the lands?" ABOUL GHEIT, IRAQ'S FOREIGN MINISTER MOHAMMED ALI AL-HAKIM, AND PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RIAD AL-MALIKI, SITTING AHEAD OF NEWS CONFERENCE AL-HAKIM SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, RIAD AL-MALIKI, SAYING: "The latest decision by the U.S. administration concerning the legitimisation of the illegal and illegitimate Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories is only part of a series of measures taken by the U.S. against the Palestinian people and the Palestinian just cause. The U.S. administration has completely adopted the Israeli position and has waged war against the Palestinian people and their rights. Consequently, we see this step as part of a war waged by the Trump administration against the Palestinian people and their rights which should not be compromised." OFFICIALS LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 9th December 2019 17:08
  • Keywords: Israel Palestinians U.S. West Bank Settlements
  • Location: CAIRO, EGYPT / GIVAT ZEEV AND ALON SHVUT, WEST BANK
  • City: CAIRO, EGYPT / GIVAT ZEEV AND ALON SHVUT, WEST BANK
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Bombing (non-military),Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA001B71CU2V
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Arab League on Monday (November 25) rejected Washington's change of position on Israeli settlements in the West Bank during an emergency meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo, saying the U.S. administration had "waged war against the Palestinian people".
    Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the U.S.'s decision was illegal and a threat to the future of the Middle East peace process. He also said a copy of Monday's Arab League decision would be sent to the United Nations Security Council immediately.
    Last week President Donald Trump's administration abandoned the United States' four-decade position that the settlements were "inconsistent with international law", in a statement that drew praise from Israel but drew condemnation from Palestinians and Arab leaders.
    The U.S. move could undermine efforts by Trump to resolve the conflict through a peace plan that has been in the works for more than two years but has drawn widespread scepticism even before its release.
    (Production: Sherif Fahmy, Mai Shams El-Din, Louisa Naks)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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