Erekat blasts US envoy’s ‘false and misleading’ comments on settlements

Saeb Erekat, a longtime top Palestinian negotiator, responds to US ambassador David Friedman’s comments in an interview published today according to which Israel is “occupying only 2% of the West Bank.”

In a statement, Erekat says: “It is not the first time that Mr. David Friedman has exploited his position as US ambassador to advocate and validate the Israeli government’s policies of occupation and annexation. He was the first US ambassador to participate in the Israeli celebrations of the colonial occupation and annexation of East Jerusalem this June, has continuously announced his intention to continue visiting illegal settlements in Occupied Palestine, as well as he has referred to the Israeli occupation of Palestine as ‘alleged.’

“His latest statement about Israel ‘occupying only 2% of the West Bank’ declaring that ‘Israeli settlements are part of Israel’ is not only false and misleading but contradict[s] international law, United Nations resolutions and also the historical US position.”

The statement adds: “Israel is internationally recognized as the occupying power over 100% of Palestine, including in and around Occupied East Jerusalem. Such positions undermine ongoing efforts towards achieving a just and lasting peace between Israel and Palestine on the 1967 border.”