UN condemns new Israeli settlement plans

[News_Editor]

UN condemns new Israeli settlement plans

2011-10-16 07:14:39 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday expressed deep concern over the continued planning of new Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.

Ban Ki-moon said that the recent developments are 'unacceptable' as efforts are ongoing to resume talks under the Middle East Peace Process. According to a statement from Martin Nesirky, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, planning for new settlements run contrary to the call by the Quartet – the diplomatic group comprising the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States – to refrain from provocations.

"The Secretary-General reiterates that settlement activity in East Jerusalem and the remainder of the West Bank is contrary to international law and to Israel's obligations under the Roadmap, and must cease," the statement said.

Ban, through his spokesman, also stressed that the international community will not recognize unilateral actions on the ground and that the status of Jerusalem can only be resolved through negotiations.

Israel lifted last September a 10-month freeze on settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory. Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been stalled since Israel refused to extend the freeze.

Palestine demands a stop to settlement construction in the East Jerusalem and West Bank area as a key element to continue peace talks, aimed at reaching a two-state solution based on the 1967 Green Line. East Jerusalem was captured by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967 when it also occupied the West Bank and Gaza.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-10-16

[midas]

dear United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

if you consider these actions to be "unacceptable ", I hope you bear this in mind

when considering the contents of the letter recently submitted to you by the Palestinians

[Riely]

I wish the UN had some serious teeth. Then they could do more than just be a voice for justice, they could actually help to implement it. israel will do what ever it wants so long as it knows it's lobbiests in America have our govt wrapped around it's finger. The release of these Palestinian political prisoners is nothing more than a smoke screen to take the light off their continued land theft.

[Steely Dan]

I wish the UN had some serious teeth. Then they could do more than just be a voice for justice, they could actually help to implement it. israel will do what ever it wants so long as it knows it's lobbiests in America have our govt wrapped around it's finger. The release of these Palestinian political prisoners is nothing more than a smoke screen to take the light off their continued land theft.

Political prisoners Is that a left wing euphemism for convicted murderers?

P.S I bet 'Occupied' East Jerusalem was not thought of as occupied between 1948 and 1967 when Jordan effectively annexed it after the 1948 war of independence, mind you the Palestinian people had not been invented until 1964 before then they were generic arabs.

[cdnvic]

As usual the same old people degenerate the topic into name calling and fighting within 6 posts.