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US criticism of Israeli settlements is ‘diplomatic lie’

Saturday, 09 May 2015 2:46 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 09 May 2015 2:46 PM ]

The United States’ condemnation of Israel for expanding illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territories is not genuine.

The United States’ condemnation of Israel for expanding illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territories is not genuine and is a “diplomatic lie” to deceive the international community, a US military veteran and journalist in Denmark says.

“When it comes down to it, the United States always sides with whatever it is the Zionists want to do against the Palestinians and the neighbors in the Middle East,” Ron Ridenour told Press TV on Saturday.

There is growing concern in the United States and Europe about further settlement building by Israel in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed one of the most right-wing cabinets in Israel's history.

The US State Department rebuked Israel on Thursday for expanding Jewish settlements, calling them “illegitimate.”

On Thursday, the Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Committee approved the construction of 900 apartment units in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of East al-Quds.

"This is a disappointing development, and we’re concerned about it just as a new Israeli government has been announced," Deputy US State Department Spokesperson Jeff Rathke said.

"Moving forward with construction of housing units in east Jerusalem is damaging and inconsistent with that commitment. We continue to engage with the highest levels of the Israeli government, and we continue to make our position clear that we view this as illegitimate," Rathke said.

Analysts say the Obama administration is not going to stop the settlement expansion. “They’re not going to do anything about it,” Ridenour said.

“The United States, if they really meant it, they could prevent them, they could stop sending them arms, they could stop all kinds of things but they won’t do it,” he added.

Israel has tried to change the demographic makeup of al-Quds over the past decades by constructing illegal settlements, destroying historical sites and expelling the local Palestinian population.

More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds in 1967.

Much of the international community regards the Israeli settlements as illegal because the territories were occupied by Israel in 1967, and they are hence subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbid construction on occupied lands.

AHT/HRJ

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