UN Secretary General deplores an Israeli settlement plan

Thursday June 05, 2008 01:49 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, deplored on Wednesday an Israeli plan to construct new settlement housing units in the occupied east Jerusalem, which the UN's resolutions consider an 'occupied land'.

UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon

In a statement, published on the UN website, Ki-Moon voiced his deep concern over the Israeli plan to build new settlement buildings in the occupied east Jerusalem.

" the continued Israeli government building of new settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories is contravening the international law and all previous Israeli obligations of the internationally-backed road map as well as the last November's Annapolis conference in addition to the latest Quartet's meeting in May of this year".

The Israeli government announced willingness to build more than 800 housing units in the Israeli settlement of Abu Ghonaim hilltop in the occupied east Jerusalem, despite Palestinian-Israeli peace talks on final settlement agreement.

East Jerusalem along with the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are internationally-recognized as occupied Palestinian territories, which Israel took over in 1967. Israel is yet to comply with UN's Security Council resolution 242 of 1967, which demands an immediate withdrawal from such territories.

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