United States: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) voiced “deep concern and dismay” over Israel’s settlement activity in a weaker statement that replaced a draught resolution that would have clearly criticised Israeli policy.

The UNSC presidential statement, which was unanimously endorsed on Monday by the council’s 15 members, including the United States, also emphasised the “obligation of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to renounce and confront terror.”

The symbolic action followed an earlier this month decision by the Israeli government to authorise thousands of settlement units in the occupied West Bank and retroactively legalise settlement outposts that had been erected illegally.

“We are very happy that there was a very strong united message from the Security Council against [Israel’s] illegal, unilateral measure,” Mr. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the UN, remarked.

In 1967, Israel seized control of the West Bank, which included Gaza and East Jerusalem. Since then, it has constructed settlements in the occupied areas that the Palestinians want for their future state, housing hundreds of thousands of Israelis. In a statement released, the UNSC urged all parties to “observe calm and restraint, and to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric.”

Transferring civilian populations into the occupied territory is expressly forbidden by international law for occupying authorities. Israeli settlements have previously been referred to as “war crimes” by a UN expert. Leading human rights organisations like Amnesty International have accused Israel of implementing an apartheid regime, and Israel receives at least $3.8 billion in annual US aid.

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