WEST BANK: Palestinians in Ramallah protest against Washington's veto of U.N. Security Council resolution against Israeli settlements

Record ID: 561500

  • Title: WEST BANK: Palestinians in Ramallah protest against Washington's veto of U.N. Security Council resolution against Israeli settlements
  • Date: 21st February 2011
  • Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (FEBRUARY 20, 2011) (REUTERS) PALESTINIANS CARRYING FATAH AND PALESTINIAN FLAGS IN PROTEST AGAINST U.S. VETO OF U.N. RESOLUTION AGAINST ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS SIGN READING 'THE ARAB PEOPLE CONDEMN THE U.S. VETO' VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FATAH SPOKESPERSON AHMED ASSAF, SAYING: "The Palestinian people wants the American administration to be the sponsor of the peace process, not of settlements and occupation. When it voted for the sake of Israel, it supported Israel's continued building of settlements." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING SLOGANS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER HANNA ISSA, SAYING: "It is regrettable that the United States used its veto against a resolution that condemns the Israeli settlements. The Palestinian position depended on the American position that condemned settlements and supported the halt of settlements construction during direct and indirect negotiations." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING, CARRYING PALESTINIAN AND FATAH FLAGS AND PICTURES OF PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS
  • Embargoed: 8th March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank, West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9VE44DL8KFF61IZWYK9O6HTBQ
  • Story Text: Palestinians in the West Bank city of Ramallah rallied on Sunday (February 20) in protest against Washington's veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution which described Israeli settlements as "illegal" and urged an immediate halt of all settlement activities.
    Protesters marched through the streets of Ramallah, carrying Palestinian flags and chanting slogans. Among them was Ahmed Assaf, a Spokesperson for President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement.
    "The Palestinian people wants the American administration to be the sponsor of the peace process, not of settlements and occupation. When it voted for the sake of Israel, it supported Israel's continues building of settlements," Assaf said.
    Others said they felt betrayed by U.S. President Barack Obama's administration which had previously stated that it opposed the building of settlements on Palestinian territories.
    "It is regrettable that the United States used its veto against a resolution that condemns the Israeli settlements. The Palestinian position depended on the American position, which condemned settlements and supported the stop of settlement construction during direct and indirect negotiations," said Ramallah resident Hanna Issa.
    Palestinian Caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said that Washington's veto made it harder for the Palestinians to win their struggle for independence.
    "We oppose this position and we condemn it. It is an obvious attempt to thwart Palestinian efforts to obtain resolutions that condemn settlements, which are internationally illegal. This is a way to thwart our people's project, which aims to end of the occupation," Fayyad told Reuters during a tour in the West Bank city of Jenin.
    The first U.S. veto to be cast by Obama's administration came on Friday (February 18) after appeals by Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton failed to persuade the Palestinian leader to withdraw the draft or accept a non-binding motion.
    U.S.-brokered peace talks collapsed last year after Israel refused to extend a moratorium on West Bank settlements.
    The Palestinians say continued building flouts the internationally backed peace plan that will allow them to create a viable, contiguous state on the land, occupied by Israel in a 1967 war.
    Israel says this is an excuse for avoiding peace talks and a precondition never demanded before during 17 years of negotiation, which has so far produced no agreement.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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