CAIRO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit condemned on Tuesday U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who backed Israel's right to build Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
"The U.S. statement that backed the Israeli settlements in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank is a very negative development," Aboul-Gheit said in a statement.
"Such regrettable change in the U.S. stance could push masses of Israeli settlers to exercise more violence and brutality against Palestinians," he added, warning that the announcement by Pompeo would undermine any possibility for peace based on an end to the occupation in the near future.
He voiced "his deep disappointment over the U.S. disregard of the legal principles stipulated by the international law and the international humanitarian law."
"Such drastic change in the U.S. policy would undermine any ethical legislation regarding this issue," he stressed.
He also voiced his regret of the U.S. administration's stances in the issue over the past two years, which has become a reflection of the ideology of the extremist Israeli right wing that advocates the Greater Israel project.
"Such U.S. bias would not bring any kind of peace, security or normal relations with the Arab countries," he added.
Around half a million Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank settlements. Several UN resolutions have condemned the settlements and demanded their end.
