In the video: Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Walla editorial!)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel on Tuesday night to reverse its decision on promoting settlements. The deputy UN spokesman joined the secretary-general's remarks and said that the settlements were a major obstacle to the realization of a solution to the conflict.
U.N. Secretary-General Guterres on Wednesday asked Israel to reverse what he called "disturbing and worrying decisions regarding settlement activity in the occupied West Bank." The secretary-general also stressed that the settlements constitute a blatant violation of international law.
Settlements violate international law. UN Secretary-General Guterres (Photo: Reuters)
U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq echoed Guterres' remarks, saying in a statement that settlements are "a tender obstacle to realizing the two-state solution in a sustainable, just and comprehensive manner." Haq added that settlement expansion provides a "significant driver of tensions and violence" and deepens humanitarian needs.
Yesterday, a State Department spokesman said the United States was "deeply troubled" by the Israeli government's intention on settlements. "The United States opposes such unilateral measures. "We call on Israel to meet the commitments it made at the meetings in Aqaba and Sharm el-Sheikh and return to dialogue to prevent escalation."
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Making the two-state solution difficult to achieve. Settlements (Photo: Reuters)
Two weeks ago, the Israeli government informed the Biden administration that it planned to announce this month that it would advance planning and construction of some 4,000 housing units in West Bank settlements, three senior Israeli and American officials said.
Yesterday, the government approved a resolution that will transfer authority to approve construction plans in the settlements from Defense Minister Yoav Galant to Defense Ministry Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The decision will significantly shorten the process of approving building plans in the settlements and reduce the number of times the political echelon has to approve such moves, which will make it possible to advance construction in the settlements more quickly.
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