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Erekat urges U.S. to take action on Israeli settlement plan

Xinhua, October 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Saeb Erekat, Secretary General of Palestine Liberation Organization, said on Thursday that the United States must translate its position on Israeli settlement plan into real action.

"Although we welcome the 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," Erekat said in an emailed press release.

He also said the U.S. must "implement necessary tools to end Israeli settlements, including through the UN Security Council, end funding to Israel and stop funding settlements through US-based organizations."

Meanwhile, another statement from the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs challenged the U.S. government to "vote for a UN Security Council resolution regarding settlements."

The ministry described the move as a test on the credibility of the superpower state.

The U.S. State Department strongly condemned Israel's plan to build 300 new settlement units in the West Bank.

"We did receive public assurances from the Israeli government that contradict this announcement," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said the 98 new housing units near the Shilo settlement is not a new settlement and will not change the reality on the ground.

Last Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinian authority is preparing to present the UN Security Council a draft resolution against Israeli settlements.

The Israeli settlement plan is one of the top and most complicated issues in the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

The latest round of peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, brokered by the United States, lasted nine months and broke down in April 2014 with no tangible results. Endit