UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov on Monday said Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories remain an obstacle to peace and called for their cessation.
Speaking to the Security Council via live video from Jerusalem, Mladenov cited reports as saying Israeli authorities advanced plans for housing units in the West Bank settlements in the past month, while the exact numbers are yet to be confirmed.
He said even without this latest advancement, the number of units advanced or approved in 2019 so far is already greater than that for all of 2018.
"Settlements are illegal under international law and remain a substantial obstacle to peace. They must cease immediately," he said.
The UN Middle East envoy also noted demolition and seizure of Palestinian-owned structures continued across the occupied West Bank in the past month, with 51 structures demolished or seized and 80 Palestinians displaced.
In addition, he called to attention demolitions and confiscations of infrastructures and internationally funded humanitarian projects in the West Bank, calling for Israeli authorities to "stop this practice, which is not in line with the international humanitarian law, and compensate for occurred damages befitting the affected population."
