The UN denounced Israel for its plans to build in Judea and Samaria, but did not mention Palestinian terrorism.
The United Nations (UN) slammed Israel because it took no steps to comply with a Security Council (UNSC) call to stop all construction in Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem, and instead authorized “a high rate” of construction, allegedly in violation of international law.
UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov told the council on Friday the several announcements on Israeli construction and legislation action by Israel indicate “a clear intent to continue expanding the settlement enterprise in the occupied Palestinian territory.”
He was delivering the first report to the council on implementation of the resolution it adopted in December condemning Israeli settlements as a “flagrant violation” of international law.
The resolution was a striking rupture with past US practice by President Barack Obama, who had the US abstain rather than veto the measure.
Leaders and officials worldwide have since condemned the resolution and Obama for his collusion with the Palestinians.
The resolution didn’t impose sanctions on Israel, so the council isn’t called on to take action.
Mladenov, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, reiterated the United Nations “considers all settlement activities to be illegal under international law and one of the main obstacles to peace.”
He called “the January spike” of announcements on Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria “deeply concerning.”
During that month, he said, two major announcements were made for a total of 5,500 housing units in Judea and Samaria. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since retracted most of his statements on construction.
“Overall, the last three months have seen a high rate of settlement-related activity, especially when compared to 2016, which saw tenders for only 42 (housing) units issued and some 3,000 units advanced over 12 months,” Mladenov said.
UN’s ‘Obsessive Focus on Israel Must End’
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon responded in a statement, saying “there is no moral equivalency between the building of homes and murderous terrorism.”
“The only impediment to peace is Palestinian violence and incitement,” he added. “This obsessive focus on Israel must end,” he demanded.
Mladenov said “many advancements in settlements in the past three months will further sever the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state and accelerate the fragmentation of the West Bank.”
He said these actions in Kfar Adumim, Shiloh, Kokhav Yakov and Shavei Shomron “are in breach of international law and they must stop.”
“Settlement expansion undermines the very essence of the two-state solution,” Mladenov said, and the resolution states the international community will not recognize any changes to the 1967 lines, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.”
Mladenov is notorious for his anti-Israel bias.
By: AP and United with Israel Staff