The United States on Wednesday blocked an attempt by Kuwait Indonesia and South Africa to have the UN Security Council adopt a resolution condemning Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes in Sur Baher town on the outskirts of Occupied Jerusalem.
Ignoring widespread international criticism the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) embarked last Monday on demolishing dozens of homes in the Palestinian town of Sur Baher near the separation wall in Jerusalem.
The IOA claims the homes which are close to the separation barrier that criss-crosses the West Bank and is locally referred to by Palestinians as the “apartheid wall” a security risk.
According to Reuters Kuwait Indonesia and South Africa circulated a five-paragraph draft statement at the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday that expressed grave concern and warned that the demolitions “undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for just and lasting peace.”
Such statements have to be agreed by consensus and on Wednesday the US told its council counterparts it could not support the text before another revised three-paragraph draft statement was circulated but the US again rejected the text.
In this regard the UN demanded Israel to halt its demolition policy and confiscation of homes in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Addressing the UN Security Council last Tuesday Rosemary DiCarlo head of the UN’s Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs said Israel’s recent demolitions breached international rules and had hurt the livelihoods of some 300 Palestinian locals.
“Israel’s policy of destroying Palestinian property is not compatible with its obligations under international humanitarian law and contributes to the risk of forcible transfer facing many Palestinians in the West Bank” DiCarlo added.
