State Department tells Israel to stop demolishing Palestinian homes

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON – The U.S. State Department told Israel on Tuesday to stop blowing up the homes of Palestinians in east Jerusalem.

Responding to reports of four demolitions, spokesman Richard Boucher said "they undermine confidence and trust between the parties and can only make it much more difficult to restore calm and move forward" with peacemaking.

Boucher also renewed a U.S. demand that Israel withdraw its forces from all Palestinian-held areas on the West Bank.

APNP-10-30-01 1413CST