RAMALLAH, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Tuesday welcomed a letter by 64 U.S. Congress members to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo concerning Israel's home demolition against the Palestinians.
Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee, said this letter is an "overdue" oversight of U.S. military aid to Israel.
"We welcome the letter signed by 64 U.S. lawmakers concerning the crime of home demolition that Israel employs systematically against the Palestinian families. This overdue scrutiny should be the beginning of accountability for Israel's unchecked crimes which are often overlooked by the U.S Congress," said Ashrawi in a statement.
"Home demolitions, forced transfers and collective punishment are serious crimes and constitute a grave violation of both international law and international humanitarian law," she added.
"Using American taxpayer's money to commit these crimes is also in violation of the requirements of the Arms Export Control Act, which entails that U.S.-supplied military equipment to Israel should only be used for so-called self-defense," the senior Palestinian official noted.
She also called on the U.S. Congress to ensure that American companies listed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights for operating in illegal West Bank settlements "end their illegal profiteering and violation of international law."
A letter dated March 16, signed by 64 members of the U.S. Congress and addressed to Pompeo, called on the U.S. government to determine whether materiel purchased from or funded by the United States is being used to carry out demolitions of Palestinians' homes.
