RAMALLAH, Nov 25 (NNN-WAFA) – Palestinian officials launched protests, against the latest remarks by United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on the legality of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Officials of various factions and parties said, the protests will kick off with a “Day of Rage” on Tuesday (tomorrow), a day of protests to take place at military checkpoints throughout the West Bank.
The coordinator of National and Islamic faction in Ramallah city, Issam Baker, said, the factions held meetings with civil society organisations, to decide on steps rejecting the latest declaration by Washington.
Fatah party member, Abbas Zaki, said, the popular movements aimed to “put an end to Israel’s practices on the ground, its settlement activity, killings and settler violence and violations against Palestinians.”
He said, the popular protests will take place in parallel with official movements by the Palestinian leadership at the United Nations, the International Criminal Court (ICC), and Arab and Islamic organisations, to halt the Israeli and U.S. measures supporting settlements.
Meanwhile, deputy chairman of Fatah party, Mahmoud Aloul, said in a press statement, following a meeting with his party members that, the party has decided on the “main points for a struggle programme and movement on the ground,” to counter the U.S. administration and the Israeli government measures, which “continue to violate the rights of the Palestinian people and are committing crimes against us.”
Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), Saeb Erekat, told the official Palestinian radio station, Voice of Palestine, that, Palestine will raise all outstanding issues to the ICC’s general commission, expected next month.
He said, Palestine will ask the ICC judicial council, to open an investigation into the “crimes of the Israeli occupation, and publish the database of companies, dealing with products manufactured in the illegal Israeli settlements.”
He added that international human rights organisations should “defend human rights and combat war crimes and not be subject to any political blackmail from any country.”
Last Week, Pompeo said, the United States considers “the establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank is not, per se, inconsistent with international law,” and that, the United States was not weighing in on the legality of any individual settlement, leaving that to Israeli courts.
He also said that, this should not be read as a statement on the final status of the West Bank, which is “for the Israelis and the Palestinians to negotiate.”
Around half a million Israeli settlers live in the West Bank settlements, including East Jerusalem.
Israeli settlement activity is deemed illegal by most world powers and under international law. It is considered one of the issues that hindered peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis.
Political ties between the United States and Palestine have been severed, right after U.S. President, Donald Trump, announced that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, in Dec, 2017.– NNN-WAFA
