US Diplomats: «Israel» Might «Cross a Red Line» with Looming Village Demolition
Local Editor
Washington strongly warned the "Israeli" entity against tearing down Palestinian village of Sussia in the occupied West Bank, calling such a prospect "very troubling" following a US delegation visit. Earlier, the US dubbed the entity's actions in the area "provocative and counterproductive."
"If the ‘Israeli' government proceeds with demolitions in Sussia, it would be very troubling and would have a very damaging impact on the lives of the Palestinians living there who have already been displaced on other occasions," said US State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau in a briefing on Wednesday.
According to the "Israeli" daily the Jerusalem Post, an unnamed US diplomatic official said that for the "Israeli" entity going ahead with the decision would amount to "crossing of a red line" as it "would be to go against the whole international community."
On Tuesday, the "Israeli" entity had already brought the ire of the European and US officials upon itself after its forces demolished three EU-sponsored shelters and two other structures in the besieged West Bank.
Furthermore, an "Israeli" rights group estimated that out of 27 people forced out of their homes in the village of Umm el-Kheir as result of the operation, 16 were children.
"We remain concerned about the increased demolition of Palestinian structures in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which reportedly have left dozens of Palestinians homeless, including children," said Trudeau, commenting on the incident.
She noted that by carrying on demolitions, the "Israeli" entity "continues this pattern of provocative and counterproductive action".
The raid fell in line with "an ongoing process of land seizures, settlement expansions, legalization of outpost, denial of Palestinian development," she added, before casting doubt on the "Israeli" apartheid regime's genuine commitment to the peaceful settlement of the "Israeli"-Palestinian conflict.
EU, British and US officials had reportedly been persuading their "Israeli" allies to halt the demolition activity in the West Bank in regard to the Sussia village, a home of some 300 people, mostly impoverished, for the past two weeks, Haaretz reported.
In their turn, "Israeli" regime officials deny that they have imminent plans to destroy the village, at least until the judgment on the petition submitted by a right-wing Regavim movement which called for its demolition, is pronounced. Regavim's plea is grounded upon the fact that the construction of the village was unlawful in the first place and therefore it must be torn down, it argues.
The Palestinians had repeatedly fallen victims to displacement over the last 30 years. In 1986 the villagers were evicted from their homes and resettled to the nearby farm area after Sussia was designated a national park by the "Israeli" regime, that retain full military control over the settlement. In 2001, the residents suffered another removal with the shelters they live in completely razed.
Even after the so-called High Court permitted the villagers to stay, they could not feel secure as the "Israeli" regime's authority in the occupied West Bank, failed to provide the residents with the construction permits thus rendering their housings unlawful by default.
The hope for the dead end situation to be resolved came early this year, as authorities were negotiating the terms on which the permits could be issued with villagers. However, the consultations were abruptly ended in June in the wake of appointing Avigdor Lieberman as the war minister on May 30.
Lieberman is known for his controversial proposal such as "cutting off heads" of 1948 Palestinians in the Knesset, and had supported the demolition of the village before taking up the office.
Lieberman, who was labelled "minister of war" by his critics, is now to submit his opinion on the case by August 15 as requested by the High Court.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
