UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply alarmed” by Israel’s decision to upgrade the illegal settlement of Givat Ze’ev to a city, his spokesperson said Thursday.
“The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed that the Israeli authorities have granted the status of a city to Givat Ze’ev, an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, that is just northwest of Jerusalem,” spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a news conference.
Dujarric stressed that “this administrative designation does not alter Givat Ze’ev’s legal status under international law as part of the occupied Palestinian territory.”
“The secretary-general reiterates that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem and all related infrastructure, have no legal validity and are in flagrant violation of international law and all relevant UN resolutions,” noted Dujarric.
He added that “Israeli settlements remained a significant obstacle to achieving the two-state solution and a just, lasting, comprehensive peace.”
