Amnesty International: Israel must halt all construction
By JPOST.COM STAFF
LAST UPDATED: 12/03/2012 20:43
Amnesty International on Monday condemned the Israeli government's announcement to expand settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem, calling on Israel to "immediately halt all construction."
Ann Harrison, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa program, stated: "Israel must immediately halt all construction of settlements
and related infrastructure as a first step towards removing all settlers
from the occupied territories."
Harrison continued to say Israel’s settlement policy is characterized by "discrimination on grounds of nationality, ethnicity and religion."
"This announcement sends a strong signal to the world that the current Israeli government has no respect for human rights and international law. Building settlements violates the rights of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and is prohibited in all circumstances,” Harrison added.