LOC23:28
20:28 GMT
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 18 (KUNA) -- For the first time in the history of the
Security Council, a UN humanitarian official alerted the Security Council,
even though during a closed-door meeting, to the impact of the Israeli
settlement activity on the humanitarian situation in the West Bank and East
Jerusalem.
Valerie Amos, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA), told reporters following her briefing to the Council "with
respect to the issue of settlement activity, I alerted the Council to my
concerns about particularly the impact of higher level of settlement violence
which has increased."
"I also alerted the Council, in relation to East Jerusalem, to my concerns
about the proposals for an additional settlement which would cut off East
Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank," she added.
She said she demonstrated to Council members, using a map, the impact of
increased settlement activity in the West Bank and the impact of the continued
Israeli blockade on Gaza and on their economic development.
She stressed that her particular concern is about the dismantling of the
Corning crossing, which will lead to a decrease in the commercial activity
into and outside of Gaza, further "de-developing" the Strip.
Asked about the mood in the Council, she said "the whole international
community accepts that settlement activity is illegal under international law
and this is certainly the position that was repeated in the Council today."
On the situation in Gaza, she said although there has been progress in
commercial activities, their level is nowhere near what it used to be five
years ago.
Morocco, the only Arab country in the Council, and other Council members
belonging to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), last week invited Amos to brief
the Council on the issue after the US blocked any Council action, arguing that
it is a matter to be discussed bilaterally between Palestinians and Israelis.
Palestinians refused to resume serious direct peace talks with the Israelis
until settlement activities stop, even though Jordan is trying this month to
bring the two sides together.
Moroccan Ambassador Mohammed Loulichki told reporters that "there was a
conversion of views (in the Council) that the Israeli settlement activity
impedes the normal life of Palestinians, and if everybody is genuinely
committed to peace in the Middle East, the continuation of this policy has to
end, and Israel has to show the political will" to do so and the intension to
resume peace negotiations.
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour echoed that statement, praising French
Ambassador Gerard Araud for the "very strong" statement he made in the Council
behind closed doors.
The Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor criticized NAM countries for
wasting the Council's "precious time" to deal with the settlement issue which
is on the table between the parties in Jordan, and said the Council had better
discuss Iran's nuclear programme and the "butchering" of the Syrian people.
According to a fact sheet on the West Bank prepared by OCHA, Israel
established, since 1967, about 150 settlements in the West Bank, including
East Jerusalem, in addition to some 100 outposts erected by Israeli settlers
without official authorization.
The settler population now stands at about 500,000 and its rate of growth
is about 5.3 percent per year, compared to 1.8 percent by the Israeli
population as a whole.
While fenced or patrolled areas of settlements cover three percent of the
West Bank, 43 percent of the occupied land is off-limits for Palestinian use
because of its allocation to the settlement's local and regional councils.
More than 60 percent of the Palestinian-owned buildings demolished in 2011,
supposedly due to the lack of permit, were located in areas allocated to
settlements.
Israel's seizure of land for settlement building and future expansion in
the West Bank has resulted in the "shrinking" of space available for
Palestinians to sustain their livelihoods and develop adequate housing, basic
infrastructure and services.
Besides, settlement expansion plans have led to extensive demolitions of
Palestinian homes and the forcible displacement of people.
The failure to respect international law, along with the lack of adequate
law enforcement vis-@-vis settler violence and takeover of land has led a
state of "impunity," which encourages further violence and undermines the
physical security and livelihoods of Palestinians.
Those protesting settlement expansion or access restrictions imposed for
the benefit of settlements are "regularly" exposed to injury and arrest by
Israeli forces. And while Israeli civil law is applied to settlers, military
law is applied to Palestinians, thus discriminating against them.
The fragmentation of the West Bank "undermines the right of the Palestinian
people to self-determination, which is to be realized with the creation of a
viable and contiguous Palestinian state alongside Israel," according to the
fact sheet.
Another OCHA fact sheet on settler violence against Palestinians in the
West Bank said the weekly average attacks on civilians and their property has
increased by 40 percent in 2011 compared to 2010, and by over 165 percent
compared to 2009.
Many of those attacks were carried out by settlers living in settlement
outposts, which are small satellite settlements built without authorization,
many on Palestinian land.
Over 90 percent of Israeli police investigations into incidents of settler
violence during the past six years were closed without indictment, thus
contributing to continued violence.
Palestinians are discouraged from filing complaints against settlers
because Israeli police stations are located inside the settlements.
Under international law, Israel is obligated to prevent attacks against
civilians or their property and ensure that all incidents of settler violence
are investigated in a thorough, impartial and independent manner.
According to another fact sheet on East Jerusalem, also prepared by OCHA,
some 270,000 Palestinians live in the divided city along with 200,000 Israeli
settlers living in settlements built since 1967.
While 35 percent of East Jerusalem's land has been confiscated by Israel
for the construction of settlements, only 13 percent is zoned for Palestinian
construction.
Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem lack a secure legal residency
status, and some 14,000 of them had their residency revoked by Israeli
authorities since 1967. (end)
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