UN chief alarmed at Israel's decision to build new settlement
Xinhua, March 31, 2017 Adjust font size:
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday expressed disappointment and alarm at the decision by Israel to build a new settlement in the occupied West Bank.
On Thursday night, Israeli security cabinet unanimously approved the establishment of the new settlement to house settlers evacuated from the illegal outpost of Amona.
Guterres "condemns all unilateral actions that, like the present one, threaten peace and undermine the two-state solution," UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told a daily briefing.
"The Secretary-General has consistently stressed that there is no Plan B for Israelis and Palestinians to live together in peace and security," said Haq.
"Settlement activities are illegal under international law and present an obstacle to peace," he added.
This is the first time in over 20 years that Israeli government has decided to establish a new West Bank settlement.
Israel also announced the approval of some 2,000 new settlement houses.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said some 900 dunams (about 222 acres) of territory in the West Bank would be registered as state land. Enditem