The United States on Wednesday defended Israel’s decades-long occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, arguing at the U.N.’s highest court that Israel faced “very real security needs.”
The defense came a day after the United States issued its third veto against a call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza at the United Nations Security Council, a vote that drew an angry response from nations and aid groups that have urged a stop to the fighting to help Gaza’s civilians.
The latest show of American support for Israel was at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, where Richard C. Visek, the acting legal adviser at the U.S. State Department, urged a 15-judge panel not to call for Israel’s immediate withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territory.
He said that only the establishment of an independent Palestinian state “living safely and securely alongside” Israel could bring about lasting peace, repeating a longstanding U.S. position, but the prospect of which appears even more elusive amid the war in Gaza.
“This conflict cannot be resolved through violence or unilateral actions,” Mr. Visek said. “Negotiations are the path to a lasting peace.”
The court is hearing six days of arguments over the legality of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian-majority territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which has been the subject of years of debates and resolutions at the U.N. The hearings — involving more than 50 countries — were called long before Israel went to war against Hamas in Gaza, but have become part of a concerted global effort to stop the conflict and examine the legality of Israel’s policies toward Palestinians.
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Quite the Catch-22. Israel can't withdraw from the West Bank because there is no Palestinian state. But Israel has already made it abundantly clear there will never be a Palestinian state. The entire world (except for the US) has had enough of Israel's settler policies. Why our tax dollars support this disgusting activity is a question every American should ask.
horrified to see the depths to which the US has plunged in supporting the killing of Palestinian civilians by the rightist Israeli government. I never thought I would see a US president defending the bombing and starvation of people. I'm at a loss to even explain it to myself. Biden has these deaths on his hands. But the people of the US have it on our hands too, as it is our tax money that is paying for the weapons being used to destroy Gaza and its people. No words to describe my sadness and horror.
@SeagullEvaNo Labels2yrs2Y
Anybody who has an opinion on this should try to live just for one day under Israeli occupation. I tried once, as a naive college student wanting to see parts of Palestine, let me tell you never was lucidity more shocking. It is incredible we allow this to continue one more day.
There is no defense for Israel to continue its occupation and colonization. "Security" is Israel's constant excuse for her multiple violations of international law and human rights. It's shameful for the U.S. to continually do Israel's bidding, even though the cessation of settlements and the prompt beginning of negotiations on a two-state solution are in the long-term interest of the U.S. and the wider world.
The US argument is sheer sophistry as was the basis of the US veto in the UN Security Council yesterday. By this argument of "legitimate security concerns" Russia has every right to neutralize NATO expansion to its borders. The major difference being Russia faces a modern militarized and existential threat... Israel is imposing a colonIal occupation on an indigenous people with no modern weaponry only the indefatigable will to resist. The Biden administration has abrogated every right to the moral high ground throughout backing of the annihilation of the Palestinian people.
Israel does have legitimate security needs and concerns but slaughtering 30,000 women and children isn’t one of them. So sadly I’ve gotten to the point where obviously I’ll never vote for Trump but I can’t really picture myself voting for Biden.
@CakeGenesisNo Labels2yrs2Y
Vote for neither it us a choice as well. That is what I and several family members and friends will do.
Joe Biden is out of line with American Public Opinion. We as a nation do not generally veto ceasefires especially when nearly the entire world supports one. Our banner has been hung on that move because of Joe Biden's opinion. Wisely our constitution gives the President that emergency power, however the natural consequence is the right of voters to vote against such a personality continuing leadership. It's all we can do. We are not a nation that supports and reloads nations to needlessly kill non-combatants. That is not us. That is all Joe.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
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