UN urged to end Israeli settlements

Palestine urged the UN Security Council on Wednesday to demand that Israel immediately reverse plans to build more Jewish settlements.

The demand came at an emergency meeting called to address tensions in east Jerusalem.

The 15-nation council met for urgent talks at Jordan's request after Israel announced plans on Monday to build 1,000 new settler homes in East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians consider the capital of a future state.

"Israel, the occupying power, must be demanded to cease immediately and completely its illegal settlement activities throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem," Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the council.

But no resolution was adopted and there was no Security Council statement condemning Israel.

Israel came under strong criticism from several countries, including the United States, which called for an end to unilateral actions, including settlement expansions.

"Settlement activity will only further escalate tensions at a time that is already tense enough," US representative David Pressman told the council.

Mark Lyall Grant, British ambassador to the UN, warned that ongoing construction of Jewish houses in Palestinian territories "makes it much more difficult for Israel's friends to defend it against accusations that it is not serious about peace".

Speaking to the council, top UN official Jeffrey Feltman said the Israeli practice of moving settlers to Palestinian territories was "in violation of international law" and runs counter to a two-state solution with a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Grave doubts

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is "alarmed" by the latest plans for new Israeli settlements, which "once again raise about Israel's commitment to achieving durable peace", Feltman said.

Israel's latest push for settlements followed weeks of skirmishes between Palestinian youths and police in East Jerusalem and Israel closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest site, on Thursday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that the Israeli closure of mosque compound to all visitors was tantamount to a "declaration of war".

Feltman called for a de-escalation, saying that both sides "can ill-afford" to inflame tensions so soon after the devastating Gaza conflict, which left more than 2,000 Palestinians dead.

Israel's ambassador, Ron Prosor, hit back, rejecting that settlement building jeopardized peace and accusing the UN of "playing second fiddle" to a Palestinian "campaign to vilify" his country.

'Not illegal'

"There are many threats in the Middle East, but the presence of Jewish homes is not one of them," Prosor said.

Speaking to reporters outside the council chambers, Prosor insisted the settlements were "not illegal" and that "building housing units in Jerusalem for children in places where there are Jewish neighborhoods is something that we will continue to do".

Mansour said he was disappointed that the council had failed to issue a statement, but praised members for speaking forcefully against Israeli settlements.

Francois Delattre, French ambassador to the UN, said "the risk of an explosion of uncontrolled violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank cannot be ignored", and called on Israel to drop the planned settlements.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said the plan should be "frozen", and urged the council to play a more proactive role to jump-start Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

AFP - AP - Xinhua

(China Daily 10/31/2014 page11)