Iran Asks Pompeo to Set Aside 18th-Century Thoughts

Pompeo had on Monday renounced the US previous position on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which was that the settlements were “occupied territories,” and a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states that an “Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territories it occupies.” The US State Department adopted this position in 1978. Along with the US, most other members of the United Nations similarly considered the settlements to be illegal.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi said on Thursday that the new US decision shows the country’s partnership in Israeli regime’s occupation and crimes in Palestine, describing the decision as violation of the sovereignty of Palestine’s neighboring countries.

“Remarks and measures of Americans regarding Palestine is a clear violation of international law,” Mousavi said, calling on the international community to counter and condemn these actions.

“Palestine belongs to Palestinian people … and the only solution out of the crisis is to hold a referendum among original inhabitants of the Palestinian land.”

He also recommended Pompeo to abandon his 18th-century line of thought that believed those in power were beyond regulations and international law.

“In the 21st century, neither America is the only power, nor anybody accepts the violation of international law by powerful countries,” Mousavi said.

The EU had also earlier this month called on Israel to end all illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

"The EU calls on Israel to end all settlement activity, in line with its obligations as an occupying power," an EU Spokesperson said in a statement.

The Spokesperson added that Israeli authorities approved the advancement of well over 2,000 housing units in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank in October.

"The European Union's position on Israeli settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territory is clear and remains unchanged: all settlement activity is illegal under international law and it erodes the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace, as reaffirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 2334," the Spokesperson stated.

The EU will continue to support a negotiated two-state solution, according to the statement.

Source:FarsNEWS