WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday slammed Israel, calling its plans to expand settlements in Palestine despite UN resolution “a threat to peace”.
With only 23 days left in office, Kerry accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of allowing Israel to slide towards a “perpetual occupation”.
“Israeli government was undermining any hope of a two-state solution to its decades-long conflict with the Palestinians,” he said.
The Us official expressed that two-state solution was the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
“It is the only way to ensure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, living in peace and security with its neighbors,” Kerry added.
On the other hand, Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu criticised Kerry’s speech hinting at probable frayed relations between the long-standing allies in future.
Mr Netanyahu said he was disappointed with the speech, which he said was “unbalanced” and “obsessively focused” on settlements.
“Mr Kerry had paid lip service to the unremitting Palestinian campaign of terrorism against Israel,” Netanyahu said.
Earlier, US President-elect Donald Trump took to Twitter, referring to last week’s UN Security Council vote which slammed Israeli settlements on occupied land Israel, stating that Israel had been treated with “disdain and disrespect”.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/814113616110751744
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/814114980983427073
Earlier, after the resolution at UN was passed, the U.S. ambassador to Israel was summoned to be reprimanded by Netanyahu personally, even as Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman suspended civil cooperation with the Palestinian Authority.
After Friday’s vote, Netanyahu’s office said he looked forward to working with Trump “to negate the harmful effects of this absurd resolution.”
