PALESTINE
Tue 20 Jun 2023 8:01 am - Jerusalem Time
Guterres: Settlement expansion is a major driver of tension
Last night, a United Nations spokesman said that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel to stop and reverse what he described as disturbing decisions regarding settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.
"The Secretary-General reiterates that the settlements are a flagrant violation of international law (...) they are a major obstacle to achieving a viable two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace," said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, in a statement carried by Reuters news agency. .
He pointed out that "the expansion of these illegal settlements is a major driver of tension and violence and greatly increases humanitarian needs."
The United States, the European Union, and the United Nations announced earlier their opposition to the changes made by Israel in managing the issue of settlement construction, allowing it to accelerate its pace in an unprecedented way, and considered it "unilateral measures that constitute an obstacle to efforts to achieve peace."
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Guterres: Settlement expansion is a major driver of tension