United Nations Secretary-General of the António Guterres condemned on Tuesday the Israeli settlement activity on the Palestinian lands, noting that settlement expansion has its highest extent during the past four years.
This came during the Secretary-General's remarks at International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2020 Virtual Meeting.
Guterres said in a statement on Tuesday, "The expansion of settlement planning and construction continues, while demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures by Israeli authorities across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, reached the highest documented rate in four years".
He added, "I address you today with a deep sense of worry about the grim realities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the diminishing prospects of resolving the conflict, which has been with the United Nations since its very creation."
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the already dire humanitarian and socio-economic situation. Israel’s suspension of plans to annex parts of the West Bank has removed for the time being a critical threat to peace and regional stability.
He called Member States to provide the necessary resources for UNRWA to continue delivering its vital services to millions of Palestine refugees, preventing serious risks to the stability of the region.
"Let us renew our commitment to the Palestinian people in their quest to achieve their inalienable rights and build a future of peace, justice, security and dignity," he concluded.
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