US President Donald Trump administration’s plan for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict disregards international law and diminishes prospects for a just and lasting peace, said two major humanitarian organizations today.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Oxfam – which both provide assistance in the occupied Palestinian territory – said the plan heightens the risk of forcible transfer for Palestinians, with Israel already planning to annex large parts of the West Bank.
“The US administration’s plan would make the occupation a permanent reality, with severe humanitarian consequences,” said NRC Regional Director Carsten Hansen. “The international community must oppose annexation and continued occupation, act decisively to safeguard the rights of Palestinians and advance a path to lasting peace grounded in international law.”
The plan supports Israel’s unilateral annexation of territory, which is prohibited under international humanitarian law. It thereby breaches the legal obligation on states not to recognize or assist internationally wrongful acts.
“The US and Israel cannot speak for Palestinians. There cannot be any peace without them at the table. The idea that this proposal will bring prosperity to Palestinians is a pipe dream. Instead, it will deny them their dignity and their right to stay on their land and define their own future,” said Oxfam’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Director Marta Lorenzo.
“Families we work with are living in constant fear of being evicted from their homes to make way for more illegal settlements,” Hansen continued. “Children have to cross through military checkpoints and face harassment and violence just to get to school. This plan does less than nothing for them.”
