UN Secretary General Urges Israel To Immediately Stop Plans For Settlement Expansion In The West Bank

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. (Twitter/@antinooguterres)

JAKARTA - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday firmly opposed Israel's plan to build thousands of new settlement units that would effectively divide the occupied West Bank into two separate parts.

"Our position is clear, Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them have been established and maintained in violation of international law," the spokesman's office said.

Stressing such illegal settlements would "enhanced the occupation, (and) spark tension," the statement also noted that such a move would "systematically erode the survival of the Palestinian State as part of a two-state solution."

"Development in the E1 region will separate the northern and southern West Bank, seriously damaging the prospects for the realization of a viable and adjacent Palestinian State," the statement said.

Secretary General Guterres also urged Israeli authorities to immediately stop the progress of this process.

"He reiterated his call to the Israeli government to stop all settlement activities, in accordance with its obligations under international law and as reiterated by the International Court in its Advisory Opinion dated July 19, 2024," the statement added.

Earlier, Israeli media on Thursday reported Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved the construction of 3,401 residential units in Ma'ale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, and 3,515 other units in the surrounding area.

The project aims to divide the West Bank into two parts, cut ties between cities in the north and south, and isolate East Jerusalem.

Standing at the planned settlement site in Maale Adumim on Thursday, Smotrich, who is also a settlers, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had approved construction in an area called E1, although there had been no direct confirmation of the two.

"Anyone in the world who tries to recognize the Palestinian state today will receive our answers in the field. Not with documents, decisions, or statements, but with facts. House facts, settlement facts," Smotrich said.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced the move as part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vision for "Israel Raya", warning it would strengthen the occupation and eliminate the survival of the Palestinian state.

Israel frozen development plans in Maale Adumim in 2012, and once again after being revived in 2020, amid objections from the US, European allies, and other powers that see the project as a threat to a future peace agreement with Palestine.

Re-engaging the project could further isolate Israel, which has witnessed some of its Western allies condemning its military offensive in Gaza and announcing it may recognize the Palestinian state.