UN coordinator calls on Israel to end post-normalisation settlement building

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, condemned Israel's announcement that it has approved new settlements for the first time since its normalisation deals with the UAE and Bahrain.

"On 14 and 15 October, the Israeli authorities advanced nearly 5,000 housing units, most of which are in outlying locations deep inside the occupied West Bank. Settlement construction is illegal under international law and is one of the major obstacles to peace," said Mladenov in a statement.

"This significant number and location of advancements is of great concern to all those who remain committed to advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace."

He said Israel's move "undermines the prospect of achieving a viable two-State solution by systematically eroding the possibility of establishing a contiguous and independent Palestinian State living side-by-side in peace and security with Israel."

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, in defiance of international law, and commits various abuses against Palestinian civilians, human rights groups say.

More than 600,000 Israeli Jews live in settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, in constructions considered illegal under international law.

The Oslo agreement of 1995 divided the occupied West Bank into three: Area A, Area B and Area C.

Area A is under the administrative and security control of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Area B's administration is controlled by the PA, with Israel controlling security. Area C is under full administrative and security control of Israel.

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