UN, Palestinian Gov’t Condemn Israeli New Settlement Plans
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israel’s plan to build 1,500 new settler units in the occupied Palestinian territories drew condemnation from the United Nations and the Palestinian government on Thursday.
The UN criticized Israel on Thursday for continuing to build settlements in the West Bank and east al-Quds (Jerusalem), calling for an end to the blockade of Gaza.
Hussein Haniff, the Malaysian ambassador to the UN, called Israel's settlements "illegal".
"The numbers of illegal settlement is increasing by the weeks and by the months and this is really hindering the peace process for (the) two states solution, because most of these illegal settlements are in the occupied territory," he said at a news conference in Cairo.
He also said it would be difficult for people in Gaza to continue living under present conditions with a blockade still in place.
United Nations' statement came after Israel's housing ministry said on Thursday that it was advancing plans for nearly 1,500 new settlement housing units in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, in response to the formation of a Palestinian unity government backed by the Islamic militant group Hamas.
Tel Aviv is expanding its settlement projects on the occupied Palestinian territories, in defiance of international calls to halt the construction.
Under international law, all of Israeli settlements are considered illegal.
Meanwhile, Palestinian government spokesperson Ehab Bessaiso said the new settlement units undermined "international efforts towards achieving a two-state solution".
Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel said it was “an appropriate Zionist response to the terrorist Palestinian government,” the paper reported.
“Israel has the right and duty to build throughout the entire country,” said the minister, who is a member of the far-right Jewish Home party which strongly backs the settlements and opposes a Palestinian state.
Israeli settlements long predate the Palestinian unity government.
Back in April, rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas signed an agreement to form a unity government. The new cabinet was sworn in before Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian national unity government, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday. The cabinet is led by Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and has 17 ministers including 5 from the Hamas movement.
Israel’s arch ally, the US, has announced its intention to work with the Palestinian government, prompting the Israeli regime to express strong disappointment over the issue.
On Tuesday, the United Nations hailed the formation of the Palestinian unity government.
