US breaks with UNSC peers on Israeli settler violence in occupied West Bank

US declines to condemn Israeli settler violence at UN Security Council. (Photo/AFP)

The United States has declined to condemn Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank and opposed briefings on Resolution 2334, which addresses Israel’s illegal settlement activity, in breaking with most members of the United Nations Security Council.

Speaking at the council, US envoy Jennifer Locetta, the State Department’s alternative representative for special political affairs, said Washington opposed the quarterly briefings on Resolution 2334, arguing they distracted from what she described as more urgent threats to international peace and security.

"Colleagues, we have been clear: the United States opposes these quarterly briefings on UNSCR 2334, as they only distract from pressing threats," Locetta said.

She instead pointed to Resolution 2803, adopted last month to endorse the October Gaza peace plan agreed to by Israel and Hamas, saying it "charts the path towards a stable, safe, and prosperous Middle East."

Locetta also accused the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, of affiliation with Hamas, claiming it rejected reasonable standards of accountability for vetting staff and partners.

She said the United States remained focused on Israel’s security and stability in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, adding that President Donald Trump expected violence in the occupied West Bank to end and would not allow annexation of the territory.

Other Security Council members strongly disagreed.

Slovenia’s UN envoy Samuel Zbogar warned that "crippling annexation is taking hold in the West Bank" and condemned the forced entry by Israeli authorities into the UNRWA compound in occupied East Jerusalem, including the seizure of property and removal of the UN flag.

"For now, peace is nowhere near," he said.

France’s UN Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont reiterated opposition to illegal settlement expansion and any form of annexation, calling persistent threats against UNRWA and raids on its facilities "unacceptable."

Algeria’s envoy Amar Bendjama criticised what it described as routine demolitions, saying plans to destroy dozens of Palestinian homes reflected "the routine of occupation, administered with precision and sustained by our silence."

Russia’s deputy UN envoy Dmitry Polyanskiy said the situation in the occupied West Bank had worsened despite a Gaza ceasefire, citing military raids in Tubas and Jenin and calling for progress towards a two-state solution.

China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong urged Israel to halt illegal settlement activity, saying "unilateral actions in violation of international law must cease immediately."

___

Source: TRT