UK official condemns Israel settlements

British Consul General in Occupied Jerusalem Philip Hall has condemned Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as “illegal and an obstacle to restarting peace talks.”

In remarks to Palestinian Satellite Channel this morning, Hall said his country always talked to Israeli officials frankly about the need to stop all settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Palestinian Information Centre reported.

Hall reiterated his country’s concern over the exposure of Palestinian citizens in their occupied areas to ongoing violence by Jewish settlers, and said that the last five years in the occupied territories was difficult and showed no prospect of the situation improving on the ground, especially after the previous US administration recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital.

He also affirmed that Britain rejects these measures, adding that UK support for UNRWA and the Palestinian health and education sectors are ongoing.

READ: Opposition arises to Jewish National Fund’s policy on settlement activity