Riyadh: Saudi Arabia condemned on Tuesday Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes in a controversial operation the previous day, urging world powers to “stop this aggression”.
“The cabinet strongly condemned and denounced authorities of the Israeli occupation for the demolition of dozens of houses in… east Jerusalem,” said a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
“It called on the international community to intervene to stop this aggression and dangerous escalation that targets Palestinians.”
Israel demolished 12 Palestinian buildings — including several multi-storey structures — that it considered illegal in a controversial operation on Monday.
The United Nations assessed at least 24 people — including 14 children — were displaced.
The demolitions of Palestinian homes, most of which were still under construction, drew condemnation from the European Union and UN officials.
Israel says the homes south of Jerusalem were built too close to its separation barrier cutting off the occupied West Bank, posing a security risk, and the demolitions were approved by its supreme court following a lengthy process.
Palestinian leaders expressed outrage at the demolitions in the Sur Baher area, which straddles the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
They note that most of the buildings were located in areas meant to be under Palestinian Authority civilian control under the Oslo accords of the 1990s.
Israel occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.
It began construction of the separation barrier during the bloody second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, in the early 2000s and says it is necessary to protect against attacks.
Palestinians see it as an “apartheid wall” and a potent symbol of the Israeli occupation.