Photo: OCHA
An Israeli settlement viewed from the Um-al-Kher bedouin community in the West Bank. Photo: OCHA
19 November 2019

The longstanding position of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ regarding Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territory ¨C that they are in breach of international law ¨C is unchanged, Spokesperson St¨¦phane Dujarric said during a press briefing on Tuesday in New York, reacting to the policy reversal announced by the United States.

Mr. Dujarric added that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ ¡°very much regrets¡± the announcement of the new US position on Monday and remains ¡°committed to a two-State solution based on the relevant Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ resolutions¡±.

Earlier on Tuesday, at a press briefing in Geneva, Spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (), Rupert Colville, told reporters that a change in the policy position of one Member State does not modify existing international law, nor its interpretation by the International Court of Justice () and the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Security Council.

Announcing the policy change, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said that ¡°calling the establishment of civilian settlements inconsistent with international law hasn¡¯t worked. It hasn¡¯t advanced the cause of peace¡±.

Mr. Pompeo¡¯s comments ¨Cwhich were reportedly condemned by Palestinian politicians, and the Jordanian Government, and welcomed by Israel¡¯s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu ¨C have been interpreted in press reports as a rejection of Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Security Council?resolution 2334.

This resolution reaffirmed, in 2016, that Israel¡¯s establishment of settlements on Palestinian land occupied since 1967, have ¡°no legal validity¡±, and constitute a ¡°flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the vision of two States living side-by-side in peace and security, within internationally recognized borders¡±. The resolution was adopted with 14 votes in favour, with the US abstaining.

On the same day that Mr. Pompeo delivered his remarks, the US Embassy in Jerusalem released a security alert, advising US citizens travelling to, or through, Jerusalem, to maintain a high level of vigilance and increase their security awareness.

Tensions in the region were already high before Mr. Pompeo¡¯s announcement: on October 28, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ¡¯s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process??that ¡°new dangerous flashpoints¡± were emerging in the region, and described the growing number of Israeli settlements as a substantial obstacle to the peace process.

¡®Nail in the coffin¡¯ for two-State solution

Independent Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ rights expert Michael Lynk, officially Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, characterized the US move as a ¡°decisive break with international consensus¡±, which will ¡°further entrench the perpetual Israeli occupation¡±, in a statement released on Tuesday.

The US decision to ¡®jettison international law¡± had, said Mr. Lynk, legitimized the illegal Israeli settlements, driving ¡°the very last nail in the coffin of the two-State solution¡± of two nations living side-by-side, which is the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ-backed outcome for a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.


Document Type: Article
Document Sources: United Nations Department of Global Communications
Country: Israel, United States of America
Subject: Settlements
Publication Date: 19/11/2019
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