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U.S. position on settlements departs from former administrations: PLO official

Xinhua, February 8, 2017 Adjust font size:

Secretary General of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat said Wednesday that the position of the new U.S. administration regarding Israeli settlements undermines the positions of former consecutive U.S. administrations.

Erekat said in statement to the official Palestinian radio station, Voice of Palestine, that the consecutive former U.S. administrations have described "Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem as illegal and unacceptable, and that settlements in the Palestinian territories are illegal, violate international law and are an obstacle in the path of peace."

He said that the current American administration's silence or refusing to comment on Israeli settlement activity "represents a departure from the official American position since 1967."

Spokesperson for the White House said Tuesday night that American President Donald Trump will discuss with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week the "regulation bill" approved by the Knesset on Monday, reported Israeli public radio, without elaborating more details.

"Whoever wants to realize a just and historic resolution in the region between Palestinians and Israelis cannot remain silent toward settlement activity," said Erekat.

He urged Trump to tell Netanyahu "to stop" if he really wanted to achieve peace and maintain the two-state solution.

The peace talks between Israel and Palestine have been stalled since April 2014. The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results. Endit