NEW YORK, Sept 19 (KUNA) -- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland reiterated his call for Israel to cease the illegal settlement expansions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
"The relentless expansion of Israeli settlements and escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are deeply alarming," he said in a briefing to the UN Security Council via a video link on Thursday.
"Israeli policies and practices are systematically altering the land in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, creating dangerous dynamics and an existential threat to the two-state solution," Wennesland told the 15-member Council in his briefing covering developments from June 11 to September 11.
In total, some 6,370 housing units were advanced or approved in settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, he said, citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, "which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain," The Israeli authorities demolished, seized, or forced people to demolish 373 structures, displacing 553 people, including 247 children, Wennesland affirmed.
"I reiterate that the estabflishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation of international law," he stressed.
Wennesland highlighted the international community's growing demand to end such activities, as set out in Council resolution 2334 (2016) and the July 19 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.
From August 28 to September 6, Israel conducted its largest operation in the occupied West Bank since 2002, stating that it was targeting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad members and infrastructure, he said, noting that dozens of Palestinians have been killed. (more) ast.gb