US would not protect Israeli settlements against boycott
The United States has announced that it would not protect Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories despite its opposition to any boycott against Israel.
Department of State spokesman John Kirby said in a statement on Tuesday that the Obama administration “strongly opposed boycotts, divestment campaigns, and sanctions” targeting Israel and “will continue to do so.”
He, however, said Democratic and Republican presidents have consistently opposed Israeli settlements that violated borders drawn in 1967.
Kirby said Washington "does not pursue policies or activities that would legitimize them."
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, which began in 2005, encourages organizations and institutions such as universities and churches to divest from Israel until the fundamental rights of the Palestinians have been recognized.
Meanwhile, a bipartisan amendment instructs US negotiators to resist other countries' actions that support the "boycott, divestment and sanctions" movement against Tel Aviv because of its policies in "Israeli-controlled territories."
The amendment was backed by several pro-Israel groups and lawmakers.
A spokeswoman for Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, who is a key sponsor of the amendment, said it was never intended to make a judgment on the Israeli settlements.
On the other hand, the movement received backing from one of the largest Protestant churches in the US on Tuesday.
The United Church of Christ’s general assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of divesting funds at its synod in Cleveland.
The Mennonite Church USA, with 97,000 members, will also vote on divestment at its national convention in Kansas City On Wednesday.
Israel occupied the West Bank during the Six-Day War of 1967. It continues to demolish Palestinian houses, but keeps on building illegal settlement units on the occupied Palestinian territories.
The presence and continued expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine has created a major obstacle for the efforts to establish peace in the Middle East.
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