In his final press briefing as principal deputy spokesman at the U.S. State Department, Vedant Patel fielded a question about a new report from Doctors Without Borders report, which alleges “clear signs of ethnic cleansing, as Palestinians are forcibly displaced, trapped and bombed.”
“I know you commented when Amnesty released a report, but Human Rights Watch released a report accusing Israel of genocide. I believe also today Doctors Without Borders had a report that’s accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing,” Shaun Tandon, State Department correspondent at AFP, said.
“I’m not in suspense about what your response is going to be, but what does the U.S. feel about this?” added Tandon, who is president of the State Department Correspondents’ Association. “Do you think that there is something to it, something worth checking out?”
Patel deferred to Doctors Without Borders on the details of its findings. “Even within their report, they make pretty clear that they don’t have the legal authority to determine intentionality,” he said. “I certainly don’t have an assessment from the U.S. government to offer today as it relates to ethnic cleansing.”
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“I know you commented when Amnesty released a report, but Human Rights Watch released a report accusing Israel of genocide. I believe also today Doctors Without Borders had a report that’s accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing,” Shaun Tandon, State Department correspondent at AFP, said.
“I’m not in suspense about what your response is going to be, but what does the U.S. feel about this?” added Tandon, who is president of the State Department Correspondents’ Association. “Do you think that there is something to it, something worth checking out?”
Patel deferred to Doctors Without Borders on the details of its findings. “Even within their report, they make pretty clear that they don’t have the legal authority to determine intentionality,” he said. “I certainly don’t have an assessment from the U.S. government to offer today as it relates to ethnic cleansing.”
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Biden admin disagrees with Doctors Without Borders charge Israel guilty of 'ethnic cleansing' - JNS.org
"They make pretty clear that they don’t have the legal authority to determine intentionality," a Foggy Bottom spokesman said.
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