UN demands “immediate” suspension of settlement of Israelis New Israel-Palestine Conflict

The United Nations on Thursday denounced Israel for significantly violating international law by expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, urging the country’s new government to halt its expansion immediately.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN Central Representative Tor Wennesland reported on the implementation of the 2016 Security Council resolution that the declared settlements “have no legal value”. The world organization called for a halt to the deployment of the solution, which jeopardizes the prospect of a future Palestinian state.

Wennesland said in a statement to the council on Guterres’ 12-page report that it was “very concerned” that Israel had approved a plan to add 540 homes to the Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem, as well as to establish settlement posts. That is “illegal under Israeli law,” he said.

“I reiterate, without any doubt, that the Israeli settlements are a significant violation of United Nations resolutions and international law,” the UN envoy said.

“Two states are a major obstacle to achieving a solution and achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.”

“The progress of all settlement activities must be completed immediately,” Wennesland said.

Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are considered illegal under international law and by a large part of the international community. Between 600,000 and 750,000 Israeli settlers live in more than 250 illegal settlements (130 officers, 120 unofficials) in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Israel’s settlements are illegal.

Guterres and Wennesland also called on the Israeli authorities to demolish Palestinian homes and other property and end the displacement of Palestinians – another hotbed – “and to approve plans to build these communities legally and meet their development needs.”

The Israeli plan to forcibly relocate Palestinians from the occupied Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan districts of East Jerusalem sparked protests throughout the Palestinian territories, as well as in Israel, by local Palestinian citizens.

Hamas, which governs the besieged Gaza Strip, fired rockets against the displacement of Israeli Palestinians and against the storming of Israeli forces by the Al-Aqsa Mosque (the third holiest site in Islam) after Israel ruled out a deadline for Israel to withdraw its forces from the mosque complex. Israel then launched an 11-day war against an enclave of two million people who have been under a blockade of 14 million land, air and sea.

Ending violence against civilians

The December 2016 resolution, which the United States abstained in recent weeks from the Obama administration, called for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians and urged Israel and the Palestinians to refrain from them and not to provoke provocative actions. and inflammatory rhetoric.

He also called on all parties to start negotiations on the final situation and step up international and regional diplomatic efforts to help end the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and reach a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in peace. .

Guterres and Wennesland made it clear that four and a half years before the resolution was passed, none of these appeals had been complied with.

Wennesland said the March to June period in the report was “a worrying rise in the level of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, including enemies between Israel and Gaza factions, on a scale and intensity not seen for years.”

Fragile ceasefire

The UN envoy to the Middle East said that the 11-year-old ceasefire after the Israeli attack on Gaza last month remains “very fragile”, adding that the United Nations is cooperating with Israel, the Palestinians and members including Egypt. ceasefire, the introduction of urgent humanitarian aid and the stabilization of the situation in Gaza. “

The military attack on Gaza in Israel – the worst increase in enemies since 2014 – has killed at least 256 Palestinians, including 66 children. Thirteen people were killed in Israel, including two children.

The Israeli attacks destroyed 1,148 homes and commercial units in Gaza and partially damaged another 15,000, and displaced more than 100,000 civilians in UN schools and other host communities.

Hamas has called for a significant way to ease the 14-year-old Israeli blockade in an enclave of two million people, designated by the UN as an “open-air prison”. Half of Gaza’s population lives in poverty.

Israel has said it will not tolerate relatively small attacks in Gaza, including the firing of flaming balloons caused by the Israelis. air attacks in the first week.

“I urge all parties to refrain from unilateral steps and provocations, to take measures to reduce tensions and to make these efforts a success,” Wennesland told the council. “Everyone must do their job to facilitate ongoing discussions to stabilize the situation on the ground and prevent another devastating escalation in Gaza.”

To all Palestinian factions “to make great efforts to ensure the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank through a single, legitimate, democratic national government,” he said Gaza must continue to be part of the Palestinian state and two-state solution.

From March to June, Guterres said 295 Palestinians, including 42 women and 73 children, had been killed by Israeli security forces and injured 10,149 in demonstrations, search and detention operations, airstrikes, bombings and other incidents in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The UN chief said Palestinians wounded 90 members of the Israeli security forces and 857 Israeli civilians at a time, throwing stones and fire bombs at events, indiscriminate rocket and mortar fire and other incidents.