Israel illegally occupies historic Palestine, stealing its land for exclusive Jewish development, a clear example of racist state rule, defying the rule of law.
On Christmas day, the Israel Hayom broadsheet said “(t)he Jerusalem District Zoning Committee is scheduled to approve the construction of 5,600 housing units in Gilo, Ramat Shlomo, and Givat Hamatos neighborhoods beyond the Green Line.”
Deputy Jerusalem mayor Meir Turgeman defiantly said
“(w)e remain unfazed by the UN vote, or by any other entity that tries to dictate what we do in Jerusalem. I hope the Israeli government and the new US administration will support us, so we can make up for the lack (of construction) during the eight years of the Obama administration.”
Fourth Geneva’s Article 49 states
“(i)ndividual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the Occupying Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of their motive.”
Israel defied the law for nearly half a century, now controls over 60% of the West Bank, much of East Jerusalem, over 600,000 settlers living on stolen Palestinian land – a flagrant Fourth Geneva breach, virtually nothing done to stop it from trampling on fundamental Palestinian rights.
In response to last Friday’s Security Council slap-down, Israel intends building 2,600 more units in East Jerusalem’s Gilo settlement, another 2,600 in Givat HaMatos, and 400 in Ramat Shlomo.
A Jerusalem municipality spokesman lied, saying
“(b)uilding Jerusalem is essential for the development of the city for the benefit of all residents, Jews and Arabs alike. The city will continue, with all of the tools at its disposal, to develop our capital in accordance with the city’s master plan and planning and construction laws.”
Fact: Palestinians are prohibited from living in settlements exclusively developed for Jews.
Fact: No US administration ever acted to stop Israeli persecution of Arabs – nothing to legally, morally and ethically challenge apartheid ruthlessness, cold-blooded mass murder, land theft and other high crimes.
Netanyahu, extremist ministers, and racist MKs openly reject Security Council Resolution 2334, stating settlements have “no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation under international law.”
It demands “Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.”
It “(u)nderlines that it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.”
It “(c)alls upon all States, to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.”
It “(c)alls for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction, calls for accountability in this regard, and calls for compliance with obligations under international law for the strengthening of ongoing efforts to combat terrorism, including through existing security coordination, and to clearly condemn all acts of terrorism; and to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric.”
Vowing not to abide by these terms, Netanyahu recalled Israeli ambassadors to New Zealand and Senegal, both countries along with Malaysia and Venezuela behind Friday’s resolution. The latter two have no diplomatic relations with Israel.
On Christmas day, he summoned Security Council envoys to scold them. A January meeting with Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May was canceled. Ahead of Friday’s vote, he told John Kerry “friends do not take friends to the Security Council.”
He defiantly called the resolution “crazy.” He accused Obama of “fail(ing) to protect Israel against this gang-up at the UN (and) colluding with it behind the scenes.”
He cancelled Ukraine’s putschist prime minister Volodymyr Groysman’s scheduled visit to Israel this week for supporting Res. 2334.
A recent B’Tselem report said Israel’s military occupation facilitates “robbing land, exploiting the area’s natural resources for its own benefit and establishing permanent settlements.”
“Israeli legislative, legal, planning, funding, and defense bodies” are complicit in dispossessing Palestinians from land rightfully theirs.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected].
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
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