NEW YORK, September 29, 2025 (WAFA) – The UN Security Council held a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue. Members heard a briefing from Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Deputy Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, on settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territories.

Alakbarov referred to Security Council Resolution 2334 of 2016, which calls on Israel to immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, stressing that Israeli settlement expansion continues to accelerate.

During his briefing, Alakbarov reviewed the UN Secretary-General's report on the implementation of the resolution and his observations on the matter. He explained that settlement expansion continues to accelerate, along with the proliferation of outposts and the Israeli Knesset's steps to advance the annexation of the West Bank.

The UN official emphasized the illegality of Israeli settlements and that they constitute a flagrant violation of international law and UN resolutions. He said, "They systematically reduce the territory of the Palestinian state and further entrench the illegal Israeli occupation."

Quoting the UN Secretary-General, Alakbarov warned against proceeding with the E1 plan, describing it as a disastrous development, as it would effectively separate the northern West Bank from the southern, undermining the contiguity of a sovereign Palestinian state, increasing the risk of forced displacement, and inflaming tensions.

Y.S