A former CIA analyst has accused the US government of saying much and doing less about illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The United States has called the Israeli settlements Å“illegitimate”, Å“awful”, Å“illegal” and Å“shameful”, McGovern said in a phone interview Tuesday, but they are just meaningless Å“words, words.”
Washington on Monday expressed “serious concerns” about Tel Aviv’s decision to allow the expansion of the settlements. Secretary of State John Kerry said the US views all such settlements in the occupied West Bank as illegitimate.
In practice, however, Washington has done nothing to stop the construction of the settlements, McGovern noted.
Israel has announced that it is marketing almost 1,000 new homes for Israeli settlers in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the occupied West Bank.
Israeli settlements are considered illegal by the UN as the Palestinian territories were captured by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967 and are hence seen as being subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbid construction on occupied lands.
Palestinians are seeking to create an independent state demanding Israel to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories. Tel Aviv, however, has so far refused to return to the 1967 borders and is unwilling to discuss the issue of al-Quds.
AHT/ARA
Republished from: Press TV