The below reports are prepared by the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) and are presented to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) at its bi-annual meeting.
The reports provide an assessment of the efforts of the Palestinian Government toward state-building and an update on the situation on the ground.
The Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) serves as the principal policy-level coordination mechanism for development assistance to the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). The AHLC is chaired by Norway and co-sponsored by the EU and the US. In addition, the United Nations participates together with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The AHLC seeks to promote dialogue between donors, the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel. The full report to the AHLC prepared by the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process is attached to this release and includes an executive summary of its main conclusions.
- Statements by the UN Special Coordinator
Statement by UN Special Coordinator, Tor Wennesland, on the advancement of new Israeli settlement plans
Statement by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, on the advancement of new Israeli settlement plans
Jerusalem, 12 May 2022
“I condemn today's decision by Israeli authorities to advance plans for over 4,000 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank. These include the retroactive approval of two illegal outposts and a park.
Continued settlement expansion further entrenches the occupation, encroaches upon Palestinian land and natural resources, and hampers the free movement of the Palestinian population.
I reiterate that all settlements are illegal under international law and constitute a major obstacle to peace.
I urge the Israeli authorities to cease the advancement of all settlement activity and refrain from such unilateral and provocative actions that fuel instability and undermine the prospects for establishing a viable and contiguous Palestinian State as part of a negotiated two-State solution on the basis of relevant UN resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements.”
[ENDS]