Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations (UN) Middle East envoy has said that more than 150 Palestinians and over 20 Israelis have been killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this year, marking the highest fatalities in the years.
He said that he was gravely concerned by the sharp increase in violence against civilians on both sides, which, he added, exacerbates mistrust and undermines a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” Tor Wennesland said at the United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday. According to Turkish public broadcaster, TRT World, Wennesland sought an end to the violence and called for all perpetrators to be held accountable. He was concerned over Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, which the world body says constitutes a flagrant violation of United Nations resolutions and international law.
He said that Some 4,800 housing units were added this year in Area C of the occupied West Bank, and the number of housing units advanced more than tripled from the last year, from 900 units in 2021 to 3,100 units in 2022.
UN for a two-state solution
He urged Israel to cease the advancement of all settlement activities as well as the demolition of Palestinian-owned properties. He also called on global and regional players and the international community to take concrete steps to change the negative trajectory on the ground and move the parties toward a two-state solution.
