Spain: Israeli settlements in Jerusalem are illegal

The Spanish Foreign Ministry expressed regret on Wednesday over the Israeli authorities’ approval announced on Monday of building 1,000 new housing units in two settlements in East Jerusalem, stressing the illegality of these settlements.

According to a statement published on the ministry’s official website, “These decisions are incompatible with the objective adopted by the government of Israel in formal negotiations with the Palestinians to find a peaceful, comprehensive, and a just solution to their conflict based on two-states”.

Spain “reiterates its well-known position shared by the international community on the illegality of all settlements,” according to the statement.

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon made a statement yesterday saying that the construction of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories “are against international law” and “do not serve the peace process.”

The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting on Wednesday regarding the increased Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to diplomatic source from the Argentinian delegation, who is currently President of the United Nations Security Council.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu retorted yesterday “We will continue to build in Jerusalem, our eternal capital. We have built in Jerusalem, we are building there now and we will continue to build there.”

Netanyahu approved plans on Monday for building 1060 new settlement units in Jerusalem.

This approval has come at a time when the Palestinian neighbourhoods in Jerusalem are witnessing clashes between the Palestinian youth and Israeli forces in response to repeated Jewish raids of Al-Aqsa Mosque.