Israel plans new settlements south of Jerusalem al-Quds

Israel is planning to build four new settlement buildings in the occupied territories.

The new buildings will each have 22 housing units and are expected to be built in the Gilo settlement located to the south of Jerusalem al-Quds, says Palestinian media on Sunday.

According to the report, the fresh settlements will be inhabitable by the end of next year.

Last week, two-thirds of the 15 United Nations Security Council (UNSC) member states raised alarm over the non-implementation of a 2016 resolution which urges the Israeli regime to stop its settlement expansion on occupied Palestinian territory.    

PressTV-UNSC members want resolution on Israel settlements enforced

Most of the UN Security Council member states raise alarm over the non-implementation of an anti-Israel resolution adopted in December 2016.

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and seen by Reuters on Tuesday, 10 UNSC member states said they were writing to express “profound concern about the lack of implementation” of Resolution 2334.

The council approved Resolution 2334 on December 23, 2016 by a vote of 14-0 when former American president Barack Obama’s administration abstained, stopping short of vetoing the anti-Israel document in a rare move.

The resolution states that “it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem [al-Quds], other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.”

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds during the Six Day War in 1967. It later annexed East Jerusalem al-Quds in a move not recognized by the international community.

About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built illegally since the 1967 occupation of the Palestinian lands.

Read More:

• Moscow against Israel’s plan for new illegal settlements
• Israel to legalize settlements built without permission
• Israeli premier vows to build more settlements at heart of West Bank

The Tel Aviv regime has been emboldened by the all-out support of Obama’s successor, Donald Trump, stepping up even further its settlement construction activities in the occupied territories in defiance of UNSC Resolution 2334.

Israel accused of medical malpractice over prisoners death  

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs Committee accused the Tel Aviv regime of medical malpractice and called for an international investigation into the death of Aziz Awaisat.

Awaisat had been imprisoned since 2014 over claims of sabotaging gas lines and carrying out knife attacks against Israeli soldiers.

The 53-year-old prisoner was recently hospitalized after suffering from severe lung failure and pneumonia after having a heart attack.

Some 7,000 Palestinians are currently behind bars in 17 Israeli prisons and detention centers, according to reports. 

More than 400 Palestinians are being held without trial under so-called administrative detention, which is a policy according to which Palestinian inmates are kept in Israeli detention facilities without trial or charge. Some Palestinian prisoners have been held in administrative detention for up to 11 years.

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