Un: Israel'S Settlement Construction In The West Bank Violates Int'L Law

[News_Editor]

UN: Israel's settlement construction in the West Bank violates int'l law < br />

2012-06-08 23:46:51 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) -- Settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territory represents a breach of international law, a top United Nations (UN) envoy said on Thursday. It comes after Israel ordered hundreds of new units to be build there.

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, stated that all settlement construction - whether on private Palestinian land or elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territory - is contrary to international law. The UN statement was issued after the Israeli government announced it will build 300 new units in the Beit El settlement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly ordered the construction of the new units after Israel's parliament rejected a bill which would have legalized settlement outposts.

Serry described the situation as 'deeply troubling,' as he reiterated his recent warning to the UN Security Council that both sides should realized it threatens a two-State solution. "Instead, we could be moving down the path toward a one-State reality, which would also move us further away from regional peace in the spirit of the Arab Peace Initiative," he said.

In addition, a study was released by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in conjunction with the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ) in which it described the detrimental impact of the West Bank Barrier on the environment and Palestinian refugees.

According to the study, over 170 communities have been directly affected as well as farmers owning land behind the Barrier. Land degradation, severe flooding and destruction of water sources are cited among the most devastating consequences of the Barrier, along with reductions in livestock due to limited grazing space, which significantly affect people’s livelihoods.

Meanwhile, West Bank director of UNRWA operations Felipe Sanchez said the presented research demonstrates that the Barrier not only has a devastating impact on Palestine refugees' livelihoods, but also on the surrounding environment.

Talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians stalled in September 2010 after Israel refused to extend its freeze on settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory and negotiations have yet to resume.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-06-08

[David006]

such devotion to the word of their god......absolute gross hypocrisy and no conscience....starve and displace your fellow man under the guise of being "special".....

[GentlemanJim]

They don't care at all what the UN thinks or says. As long as the US provide support they will continue to do whatever they want.

[Ulysses G.]

Why would they care what the UN says? The UN have ignored Muslim countries' flagrant human rights violations on many occasions and been amazingly hypocritical when it comes to Israel.

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[Scott]

I will make a pre-emptive strike here. Stick to the topic.

It's about settlements. It's not about how wonderful the world would be if only the US didn't..... or how "we don't have to listen to the UN because...."

[GentlemanJim]

Why would they care what the UN says? The UN have ignored Muslim countries' flagrant human rights violations on many occasions and been amazingly hypocritical when it comes to Israel.

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Since when do two wrongs make a right? Illegal is Illegal.

[Steely Dan]

I note the usual whining about the security barrier due to land depletion etc, as ever the press neglect to mention how many Israeli civilian lives have been saved by it, but of course the deaths of Israeli civilians is not newsworthy.

[GentlemanJim]

I note the usual whining about the security barrier due to land depletion etc, as ever the press neglect to mention how many Israeli civilian lives have been saved by it, but of course the deaths of Israeli civilians is not newsworthy.

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Steely that is a ridiculous statement. try living in your village or town if someone built a 10 meter wall through the middle of it. Cutting your access to the scholl 100 meters away, resulting in a 8 mile journey to get to the same school for your kids. A wall that cuts through the middle of the river providing water for the village. A few posts in on a thread with the 'I' word and you are already going the normal way. Its pathetic.

[Ulysses G.]

The Palestinian Arabs refused to accept the UN mandate that would have given them their own country and they have refused to sign a peace treaty ever since. The settlements are a reminder that it is in their best interests to forget about destroying Israel and compromise for a change.

[GentlemanJim]

The Palestinian Arabs refused to accept the UN mandate that would have given them their own country and they have refused to sign a peace treaty ever since. The settlements are a reminder that it is in their best interests to forget about destroying Israel and compromise for a change.

The settlements are illegal and being built on land that does not belong to israel. What is your point?

[Steely Dan]

I note the usual whining about the security barrier due to land depletion etc, as ever the press neglect to mention how many Israeli civilian lives have been saved by it, but of course the deaths of Israeli civilians is not newsworthy.

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Steely that is a ridiculous statement. try living in your village or town if someone built a 10 meter wall through the middle of it. Cutting your access to the scholl 100 meters away, resulting in a 8 mile journey to get to the same school for your kids. A wall that cuts through the middle of the river providing water for the village. A few posts in on a thread with the 'I' word and you are already going the normal way. Its pathetic.

So you make an equivalence comparison between an 8 mile detour and the saved lives of hundreds of civilians? And what of the far larger more fortified walls littered around the middle east? Your myopia on this issue is quite staggering.

[Ulysses G.]

The Palestinian Arabs refused to accept the UN mandate that would have given them their own country and they have refused to sign a peace treaty ever since. The settlements are a reminder that it is in their best interests to forget about destroying Israel and compromise for a change.

The settlements are illegal and being built on land that does not belong to israel. What is your point?

It does not "belong" to anyone until the Palestinian Arabs sign a peace treaty - which they seem fanatically unwilling to do - and it is divided according to negotiations with Israel. That is my point.

[folium]

Seem to be back on familiar territory here after brief visit to Pakistan!

Simple questions. 1) are these settlements contrary to international law? 2) on whose territory are these settlements being built? 3) how does settlement building aid long term peace in the Middle East?

Thank you.

[geriatrickid]

such devotion to the word of their god......absolute gross hypocrisy and no conscience....starve and displace your fellow man under the guise of being "special".....

That is your interpretation. You most likely also choose to ignore the Book of Revelations.

[geriatrickid]

Seem to be back on familiar territory here after brief visit to Pakistan!

Simple questions. 1) are these settlements contrary to international law? 2) on whose territory are these settlements being built? 3) how does settlement building aid long term peace in the Middle East?

Thank you.

Why launch another discussion of a subject that has been beaten to death in TVF? Please go read the prevous threads. Anything posted will be a rehash. In the meantime, the UN discussion provides a nice diversion from the massacres taking place in Syria.

[GentlemanJim]

I note the usual whining about the security barrier due to land depletion etc, as ever the press neglect to mention how many Israeli civilian lives have been saved by it, but of course the deaths of Israeli civilians is not newsworthy.

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Steely that is a ridiculous statement. try living in your village or town if someone built a 10 meter wall through the middle of it. Cutting your access to the scholl 100 meters away, resulting in a 8 mile journey to get to the same school for your kids. A wall that cuts through the middle of the river providing water for the village. A few posts in on a thread with the 'I' word and you are already going the normal way. Its pathetic.

So you make an equivalence comparison between an 8 mile detour and the saved lives of hundreds of civilians? And what of the far larger more fortified walls littered around the middle east? Your myopia on this issue is quite staggering.

Just what 'hundreds of civilians' were being killed before? I am afraid it is your view that is myopic. My view is holistic. The wall is absolutely no different to the Berlin wall. The irony is staggering.

The land does not belong to israel. The settlements are illegal and the whinings of two TV members who are uninformed will not change a UN viewpoint. Who has more credibility on the judgement? The UN or Steely and UlyseesG, let me think about that for a nano second.

[GentlemanJim]

such devotion to the word of their god......absolute gross hypocrisy and no conscience....starve and displace your fellow man under the guise of being "special".....

That is your interpretation. You most likely also choose to ignore the Book of Revelations.

I am glad you put the whistle there because that comment is another one belonging to the pathetic bin.

[Colin Yai]

The Palestinian Arabs refused to accept the UN mandate that would have given them their own country and they have refused to sign a peace treaty ever since. The settlements are a reminder that it is in their best interests to forget about destroying Israel and compromise for a change.

UG, I see you are Clouding the issue with fact's again!

[Ulysses G.]

Simple questions. 1) are these settlements contrary to international law? 2) on whose territory are these settlements being built? 3) how does settlement building aid long term peace in the Middle East?

I'm sure that you are aware that all three of these things are in dispute. Personally, I think the settlements might convince the Palestinian Arabs that they better call off the eternal Jihad and make peace.

[GentlemanJim]

Here is a suggestion. We all get on famously on TV until this subject rears it's ugly head. It is inconceivable that any of us will change our mindset on the issue, so I propose we go back to our normalish state of forum harmony and completely drop the subject. I am going to try my utmost not to comment any more, it is futile.

[Colin Yai]

Illegal settlements ,Walls etc? , every time Israel is mentioned hackles are raised and we get extended arguments , the way I look at the situation is Illegal settlements or walls or not, the main problem is that the Jews are doing it pure and simple .

[folium]

Jim

Your stance sadly makes a lot of sense. Far greater minds have failed to find a solution to Israel/Palestine, not sure if TVF will do any better. Too many entrenched positions and passionate beliefs.

If it was just a squabble over an economically unimportant scrap of land, we could all shrug our shoulders and let them get on with it. Sadly, rightly or wrongly, it's impact stretches far beyond the boundaries of Israel/Palestine.

For that reason there is apressing need for a resolution

[Ulysses G.]

Here is a suggestion. We all get on famously on TV until this subject rears it's ugly head. It is inconceivable that any of us will change our mindset on the issue, so I propose we go back to our normalish state of forum harmony and completely drop the subject. I am going to try my utmost not to comment any more, it is futile.

I concur. The wise thing to do would be to close and lock the thread.

[Scott]

Here is a suggestion. We all get on famously on TV until this subject rears it's ugly head. It is inconceivable that any of us will change our mindset on the issue, so I propose we go back to our normalish state of forum harmony and completely drop the subject. I am going to try my utmost not to comment any more, it is futile.

I concur. The wise thing to do would be to close and lock the thread.

I tend to concur. I hate to close topics, but since it's unlikely that we can get everyone involved in these threads to hold hands and sing 'Kumbaya', its probably the best advice so far.

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