The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nikolay Mladenov said on Saturday that the United Nations considers all Israeli settlement activities illegal expressing his concern over the growing number of illegal settlements.
Mladenov said during a briefing at the UN Security Council on the implementation of the resolution No. 2334 which was adopted by the UNSC in December 2016 condemning building settlements and calling for its immediate halt that the past three months witnessed a marked increase in the pace of settlement construction and the legislations legitimizing it.
He explained that 5500 settlement units were announced to be built in January 2017 not to mention the progress achieved in the schemes drawn to build more than 3000 new units.
He also pointed out that the construction of four new settlements in occupied Jerusalem is in full swing after obtaining permits for building hundreds of units there.
Mladenov pointed to the large-scale demolitions conducted against Palestinian buildings especially those owned by Bedouins due to the lack of construction permits which are difficult for Palestinians to get noting that 145 houses were demolished in Area C in addition to 48 others in occupied East Jerusalem.
The UN official expressed concern over the latest Israeli legislative developments especially the Israeli parliament’s approval in principle of the so-called “Regulation Bill” adding that once the bill receives a final approval thousands of settlements will be legitimized retroactively in violation of the international law.
