Arab nations slam Israel for razing Palestinian village

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestine, the Arab League, Qatar, and Jordan on Saturday strongly condemned Israel’s demolition of a village in occupied West Bank.

Israel’s recent aggression is “a blatant violation of the rules of international law and international covenants,” Ambassador Saeed Abu Ali, the Arab League’s assistant secretary general for Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories, told Palestinian news agency WAFA.

“The international community must confront this continuous and escalating Israeli aggression which not only targets the Palestinian people and their rights, but also violates the will of the international community, its charters, and laws,” he said.

Israeli forces raided a village in occupied West Bank this past Tuesday and razed 11 houses belonging to 23 families.

In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the demolition was “an illegal act that aims to displace Palestinians and destroy their land in severe violation to international agreements.”

The ministry stressed the need for the international community to “move swiftly to protect the Palestinian people from the dangers of forced and mass displacement, and hold the occupation accountable for these severe violations.”

Palestine’s Foreign Ministry slammed Israel’s demolitions as acts of ethnic cleansing and crimes to expand its colonial project.

The ministry urged the International Criminal Court to initiate an investigation against Israel and hold it accountable for its crimes.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry also strongly criticized the demolition and called on the international community to pressure Israel to end its illegal aggression.

Israel occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, in 1967.

Palestinians want these territories for the establishment of a future Palestinian state.

*Writing by Merve Gul Aydogan Aglarci