NEW YORK, Nov 20 (KUNA) -- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process on Wednesday regretted the announcement made by the United States two days ago that it no longer views the Jewish settlements on the occupied Palestinian territories as inconsistent with international law.
Briefing the UN Security Council on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question, Nickolay Mladenov affirmed, "The UN position remains unchanged.
"As per UNSC Resolution 2334, Israeli settlement activities are a flagrant violation under international law, and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace," he stressed.
"Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures also continued across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem," Mladenov pointed out. "Citing the absence of Israeli-issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain in Area C and East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities demolished or seized 48 structures resulting in the displacement of 101 Palestinians, including 46 children.
"This practice must immediately cease," he urged.
"In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, 46 Palestinians, including nine children, and three Israelis were injured in various incidents, including during clashes, search and arrest operations, and settler-related violence.
"I remain concerned by continuing, and sometime escalating, settler-related violence.
"Attacks on Palestinians and their property in the context of the annual olive harvest have continued despite preventive measures adopted by the Israeli authorities.
"These attacks, along with restrictions on Palestinian farmers' access to their land in areas adjacent to Israeli settlements and behind the West Bank barrier, have undermined agricultural livelihoods," he continued.
On the situation in Gaza Strip, Mladenov said, "We meet today in the aftermath of the most serious recent escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza.
"Although the immediate crisis was diffused, the situation remains highly volatile," he cautioned.
"Following Israel's targeted killing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) Commander Baha Abu al-Ata in Gaza, Palestinian militants launched more than 500 rockets towards Israel.
"This latest escalation was preceded on November 1 by some ten rockets that were launched from Gaza towards Israel, one of them hitting a house in Sderot City." The Israeli defense forces IDF conducted a number of strikes against PIJ and militant targets in Gaza. "Thirty-four Palestinians were killed, more than 20 of them identified by the IDF as militants, and three women and eight children," he said.
"Among the people killed in Gaza were eight members of a family, who were killed in a single Israeli strike," he said, adding, "This is a tragic and heinous incident and must be thoroughly and impartially investigated. (end) asf.gb