As reported to the United Nations Security Council, daily violence continues in the West Bank, tensions in East Jerusalem and in the refugee camps are on the rise, and attacks by Jewish settlers against the Arab population also persist.
Meanwhile, he stressed, Israel’s illegal settlements and plans for new construction in occupied territory are constantly advancing, along with demolitions and evictions of Palestinians, including in and around East Jerusalem.
Wennesland detailed how a fragile calm currently prevails in the Gaza Strip, but in his opinion this is only a temporary circumstance.
The recent escalation of tensions in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem was another of the concerns expressed, since since January of this year there have been several evictions of Palestinian families by Israeli forces in that community.
Just the day before, Palestinian authorities condemned the statements of the Israeli Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, who rejected the creation of a State for the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Speaking to The Jerusalem Post, Ahmad al-Deek, top adviser to the Palestinian Foreign Minister, said that Gantz’s position confirms Tel Aviv’s refusal to seek a negotiated solution to the conflict.
Tel Aviv’s rhetoric and actions on the ground confirm its policy of “consolidating settlements and apartheid in occupied Palestine,” he told the Deek.
In addition, the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, has also publicly refused to dialogue and meet with the authorities of that Arab town and create a Palestinian state, he said.
The Palestinian official criticized the United States for avoiding pressure on its ally by pointing out that Washington witnesses the expropriation of land, the expansion of settlements, collective punishment and the displacement of Jerusalem residents.
How can the US administration talk about a two-state solution when all of this is going on?
A few days ago, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, the Israeli Defense Minister showed his opposition to creating a Palestinian state, as demanded by the international community.
Currently, the creation and recognition of the State of Palestine is one of the longest pending issues in the United Nations, although the State of Israel has existed for 70 years.
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