ISLAMABAD – The European Union, Russia, China and other members of the UNSecurity Council on Wednesday strongly opposed the US announcement that itno longer considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank to be aviolation of international law.
Nickolay Mladenov, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peaceprocess, opened the Security Council meeting, expressing “regret” at the USaction and reiterating the UN position that settlements under a December2016 council resolution “are a flagrant violation under international law.”
Indonesian Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, whose country has the world’slargest Muslim population, called the US announcement “irresponsible andprovocative,” saying it “incontrovertibly constitutes a de facto annexationand is a barrier to peace efforts based on the two-state solution.”
Following the Security Council meeting, ambassadors from the 10non-permanent council members who serve two-year terms stood beforereporters while Deputy German Ambassador Jurgen Shultz read a criticaljoint statement.
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“Israeli settlement activities are illegal, erode the viability of thetwo-state solution and undermine the prospect for a just, lasting andcomprehensive peace” as affirmed by the 2016 council resolution, thestatement said.
It also called on Israel to end all settlement activity and expressedconcern at calls for possible annexation of areas in the West Bank, PressTV has reported.
