UN: Settlement building 'undermines the very essence of the two-state solution' - Mladenov

United Nations (UN) Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov slammed Israel for allegedly ignoring UN Security Council's call to stop settlements in occupied Palestinian lands. Mladenov was speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in New York City on Friday.
Citing a latest report on advances in Israeli settlements, Mladenov said, "The resolution calls on Israel to take steps, I quote, 'to seize all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.' No such steps have been taken during the reporting period."
Mladenov revealed, "Within three weeks, some 3,000 housing units were advanced through the various stages of the planning process and over 240 units reached the final approval stage," in what he described as a "January spike." Mladenov added that last three months' figures alone exceed those of the entire 2016, saying "especially when compared to 2016, which saw tenders for only 42 [housing] units issued and some 3,000 units advanced over 12 months in Area C."
The UN Coordinator said the January spike was "deeply concerning," saying it indicates "a clear intent to continue expanding the settlement enterprise in the occupied Palestinian territory." Furthermore, he called such construction advances as "breach of international law" and called for their cessation.
"Settlement expansion undermines the very essence of the two-state solution. Resolution 2334 states that the international community will not recognise any changes to the June 4, 1967 lines including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those changes that are agreed by the parties themselves through negotiations," finished Mladenov."
Credit: UNTV