Mideast: Clinton criticises Israeli House Demolitions
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United States secretary of state Hillary Clinton on Wednesday criticised Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, saying it does not help the situation.
Clinton criticises Israeli House Demolitions
“Clearly this kind of activity is unhelpful and not in keeping with the obligations entered into under the ‘road map’,” said Clinton during a joint media conference with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
The media conference was held in the Palestinian National Authority’s headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Israel has recently issued orders for the demolition of 100 Palestinian homes it claims were built illegally in the neighbourhood of Silwan, located in East Jerusalem.
Palestinian news agency Maan said more than 1,000 Palestinians will be displaced if the demolitions proceed.
“It is an issue that we intend to raise with the government of Israel and the government at the municipal level in Jerusalem,” said Clinton.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future Palestinian state.
Clinton, who is on her first trip to the Palestinian territories as secretary of state, on Tuesday also held talks with prime minister Salaam Fayyad, who warned that negotiations with the Israeli government would be suspended if the Jerusalem demolitions went ahead.
However, when Clinton was asked about her position regarding the two-state solution for the establishment of a Palestinian state existing side by side with Israel, she said “I have told everyone, we are committed.”
Abbas, meanwhile, warned Iran by saying it was working to deepen the divisions between Palestinian factions.
“Since the Iranians got involved in Palestinian matters, they have only worked towards deepening the rift, we urge them to stop interfering in our business because they are only deepening the dispute,” he said.
Abbas made the remarks the same day that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for Muslims to join the Palestinian resistance against Israel.
Clinton arrived in Israel late on Monday after attending a donors’ conference in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where some 75 countries pledged more than 5.2 billion dollars to help rebuild the Gaza Strip.
On Monday, the Israeli group Peace Now claimed that the Israeli housing ministry was planning to build at least 73,000 housing units in West Bank settlements.
The organisation said 15,000 units had already been approved and another 58,000 were awaiting approval.
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