UN Human Rights Chief: Continuous expansion of settlements by “Israel” in the West Bank is a war crime

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday criticized Israel’s latest actions regarding the occupied West Bank, saying the drastic acceleration in settlement building is exacerbating long-standing patterns of oppression, violence and discrimination against Palestinians.

“Reports this week that Israel plans to build a further 3,476 settler homes violate the international law,” Türk said.

In a report to the Human Rights Council, Türk said that the establishment and continuing expansion of settlements, which aims at transferring Israel settlers into the Palestinian territories that it occupies, amounts to a war crime under international law.

Two days ago, the occupation authorities announced a plan to establish 3,500 new settlement units in order to expand a number of settlements surrounding occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem), while on the 23rd of last month, they announced another plan to establish more than 3,000 settlement units in the West Bank.

Wennesland condemns Israel’s advancement of plans for 3,400 housing units for colonists

On Thursday, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland condemned the advancement by the Israeli occupation authorities of plans for over 3,400 housing units for Israeli colonists in the occupied West Bank.

“Israel’s settlement expansion continues to be a driver of conflict in the occupied West Bank, further entrenching the occupation and undermining the right of Palestinians to self-determination and independent statehood,” said the UN official in a press statement, according to Wafa News Agency.

“I reiterate that all settlements are illegal under international law, and I urge Israeli authorities to cease all settlement building activities and refrain from provocative actions”, he added.

Hamda Mustafa