Israel’s Approval of 150 New Homes in West Bank ‘Provocative’ – UN Chief

Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon and his colleagues display what he called “terror dolls”, right, that he said are being used to teach hatred among Palestinian children, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016, at the U.N. He spoke shortly before the U.N. Security Council met to discuss the Middle East and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon spoke out against Israel’s settlement activities.

“These provocative acts are bound to increase the growth of settler populations, further heighten tensions and undermine any prospects for a political road ahead”, Ban said. “I urge the Israeli government not to use a recent decision by the Israeli High Court affirming a large tract of land south of Bethlehem as state land to advance settlement activities”.

“Palestinian frustration is growing under the weight of a half century of occupation and the paralysis of the peace process”.

Most of the Palestinians killed since October have been attackers, while others have been shot dead by Israeli forces during protests and clashes. But the government of Stephen Harper declined to speak out against Israeli settlement construction.

Ban made his comments in a Security Council session on the current situation in the Middle East. While lamenting “unacceptable levels of violence”, he asserted that security measures alone can not “address the profound sense of alienation and despair driving some Palestinians – especially young people”.

Ban added that he “continue[s] to strongly believe that conditions in Gaza pose a severe threat to long-term peace and security in the region”.

In his statement, Dion said Canada was concerned about the violence and that a negotiated settlement involving the creation of an independent Palestinian state next to Israel “was the most viable path to peace”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Ban’s remarks, saying they only “bolster terrorism”.

Ban said West Bank Jewish settlements, or “so-called facts on the ground in the occupied West Bank”, are “steadily chipping away the viability of a Palestinian state and the ability of Palestinian people to live in dignity”.

“The Palestinian murderers do not want to build a state; they declare publicly that they want to destroy a state”, Netanyahu added.

Foreign Affairs Stephane Dion named both the construction of the Israeli settlements and the Palestinian pursuit of unilateral statehood recognition as impediments to peace.

The United States, United Nations and the European Union oppose all Israeli settlement building, and consider it an obstacle to peace.

He also said that for the security of “our friend Israel”, Canada supports a two-state solution.