The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, said he is “deeply concerned” about the Jewish settlers’ increasing violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Wennesland said, Wednesday, he was “particularly terrified by the brutal events in Hawara” in occupied Nablus, demanding that perpetrators are held accountable. He added that implementing the articles outlined in the statement of the Aqaba Summit would be an “important” step towards de-escalation and reversing the negative trends on the ground in the occupied Palestinian Territories. Wennesland presented the findings of his report in a Security Council hearing in New York on Israel’s implementation of Resolution No. 2334 of 2016, which calls for an immediate and complete cessation of all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem. The UN official noted the “need to calm the situation and move towards re-establishing a political horizon.” He welcomed the statement of the European Union and the presidency of the Security Council. Wennesland said he is concerned about the Israeli incitement and provocations that can lead to an escalation in and around the holy sites in occupied Jerusalem. He said, “Everyone should refrain from such actions and adhere to the status quo in line with the special and historical role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem.” He urged the Israelis, the Palestinians, the countries of the region and the international community to take action to re-engage in “meaningful” negotiations. Wennesland said the Israeli settlements have no legal legitimacy and constitute a flagrant violation of international law and UN resolutions, urging the Israelis to “immediately” cease settlement activities in line with its obligations under international law. He presented to the Security Council 14 observations and recommendations regarding the implementation of Resolution No. 2334, expressing the UN’s concern about the Israeli settlement expansion.
Source: Jordan News Agency