Germany criticises US: International law is not menu a la carte

Germany's United Nations ambassador criticised the United States on Tuesday for its Middle East policy, saying Washington should not pick and choose which parts of international law to support and which to ignore.

"We believe in the force of international law. We don't believe in the force of the strongest. So, for us, international law is not a menu a la carte," Germany's Christoph Heusgen told the UN Security Council in New York.

Heusgen said that while the US is insistent on upholding some areas of international law, such as on North Korea, on others it will not speak out against violations of UN Security Council resolutions, such as when it comes to Israel's settlements in the West Bank.

His comments came a day after the Israeli army demolished dozens of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem.

The UN Security Council previously passed a legally binding resolution calling for Israel to stop all settlement activity and deeming it illegal. It also condemned the confiscation of land, demolition of homes and displacement of Palestinian civilians.

Washington has grown closer to Israel during the presidency of Donald Trump, whose decisive pro-Israel steps have led to the Palestinians rejecting the US as a mediator for Middle East peace.

Under Trump, the US has recognised the annexed the Golan Heights as Israeli, relocated Washington's embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and cut aid to Palestinians.  (dpa)