New York, Nov. 17 (Petra) - The United Nations reported Monday that the number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank reached 737,000 by the end of May, spread across 165 settlements and 271 outposts.
The report by the UN Secretary-General stressed the need to address the root cause of cycles of violence and repression, namely the denial of Palestinian human rights, including their right to self-determination.
It stated that the fundamental condition for resolving the issue is Israel ending its illegal occupation of Palestinian land. "Yet Israel continues to consolidate its annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories while displacing large Palestinian communities," the report said.
The Secretary-General highlighted that the institutional and legal system of discrimination and repression leaves Palestinians with little choice but to leave their homes and lands, including through the illegal seizure of land and resources via the declaration of so-called "state lands" and through demolition and eviction policies.
The UN called once again for Israel to end its illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territories as swiftly as possible, including the evacuation of all Israeli settlers and respect for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
//Petra// AF
