NEW YORK, May 26, 2018 (WAFA) - Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations Riyad Mansour said the provocative and illegal actions lately carried out by the US, Guatemala, and Paraguay  have only increased Israel’s boldness to continue its illegal settlement activities in flagrant violation of international law.

The Permanent observer sent three identical letters to UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, President of the United Nations Security Council (Poland), and President of the UN General Assembly and briefed them on the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories in light of the continued loss of civilian lives in various areas across the occupied territories, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

Mansour said that the number of Palestinian causalities as a result of the deliberate targeting of civilian protesters by Israeli forces continues to rise; as many of the victims have succumbed to wounds sustained in recent weeks. The permanent observer stressed that thousands of the wounded are still in need of emergency medical care.

“At the same time, Israel, the occupying power, continues to expropriate lands in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, for the benefit of settlement construction in  a gross violation of international law, a deliberate challenge, and a flagrant violation of the resolutions of the UN security council.

“The construction and expansion of settlements, particularly in occupied East Jerusalem and surrounding areas, which is continuing relentlessly destroys the chance for a two-state solution and increases the fragmentation of the Palestinian territories."

The permanent observer called on the international community to implement the resolutions of international legitimacy.

Israeli “Defense” Minister Avigdor Lieberman last Thursday announced plans to construct new settlement units and to transfer thousands of illegal Israeli settlers to occupied territories, which Mansour stressed reveals the true nature of the Israeli colonization.