UN Denounces Israeli Move to Speed Up Settlement Expansion
In a statement, Guterres said Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory have “no legal validity” and amount to a “flagrant violation” of international law. The remarks come as Israeli aggression escalates across the West Bank and amid Israeli efforts to legalize existing outposts and establish additional ones.
Guterres said the settlements continue to pose a significant barrier to a "two-state" solution and to a “just, lasting and comprehensive peace” between Israelis and Palestinians.
The secretary-general’s statement follows a series of warnings from the United Nations and partner agencies regarding Israeli settlement expansion in recent months.
Those organizations have repeatedly called for the protection of civilians and for accountability for perpetrators in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that his cabinet would be “accelerating the legalisation of farm outposts and establishment of new ones” in the occupied West Bank.
All Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including in eastern al-Quds, are considered illegal under international law. That position was reaffirmed in a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which concluded that "Israel’s" continued occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful.
Source: AlQuds
