The United States remains opposed to proposals to annex the West Bank or construct Israeli settlements in Gaza, said Ambassador Robert Wood, U.S. Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations.
Settler violence in the West Bank remains a cause for concern, warned Ambassador Wood.
“Recent incidents include those in Jurat Al Khiel, near Hebron, where Palestinians were attacked by scores of extremist settlers who damaged property, assaulted civilians, and released dogs to attack residents. In the Palestinian village of Jalud, south of Nablus, dozens of extremist settlers reportedly killed livestock, attacked homes, and set fire to vehicles.”
Ambassador Wood urged the government of Israel to “deter extremist settler violence and protect all communities from harm. This includes intervening in, preventing, and stopping attacks." He also called on Israel to facilitate humanitarian access to Gaza, restore the flow of commercial goods, and address persistent lawlessness that prevents aid from reaching Palestinians.
At the same time, the Security Council has an “obligation not to let Hamas off the hook. Not after the misery, death, and destruction they sparked 13 months ago,” stated Ambassador Wood.
“Hamas has cynically demonstrated that it prefers the war continue, including by rejecting multiple ceasefire offers and other formulas that would bring much-needed relief to Palestinian civilians desperate for an end to the fighting. We must not cave into Hamas’ demands or allow it to dictate the course of events. Rather, we must increase pressure on Hamas to implement Resolution 2735 without condition and without delay.”
Toward that end, the United States has imposed additional sanctions on Hamas political leaders and fundraisers.
“Only after we reach a ceasefire agreement with hostage release consistent with Resolution 2735,” stressed Ambassador Wood, “will it be possible to chart a new path forward in Gaza that enables Palestinians to rebuild their lives free from Hamas’ tyranny.”
The United States also fundamentally rejects the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The United States will continue to support diplomacy on the ground, and to encourage steps to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza who did not start this conflict and are relying on the international community to help end it.
