UN Security Council to Vote on Israel’s Settlement Expansion amid International Condemnation

UN Security Council to Vote on Israel’s Settlement Expansion amid International Condemnation

The Israeli settlement of Givat Zeev is near the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank (AFP/File photo)

The UN Security Council will likely vote on Monday on a resolution that would demand Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory,” Reuters news agency reported.

The draft was written by the United Arab Emirates in coordination with the Palestinians, according to diplomats.

This comes as Israel’s right-wing government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu approved nine new settlements in the occupied West Bank and announced the construction of dozens of homes on existing settlements.

In response, the US Secretary of State issued a statement along with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom saying: “We strongly oppose these unilateral actions which will only serve to exacerbate tensions between Israelis and Palestinians and undermine efforts to achieve a negotiated two-state solution.”

Last week, a statement from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party said that Israel would not stop building new settlements.

Jewish settlements are built on Palestinian land annexed by force and are illegal under international law.

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