UN Chief Tells Israel to halt illegal settlements in Palestine

2-minute read
22 June 2023 | 18:47 CAT

Image: The Canberra Times

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on Israel to immediately cease all settlement activities in occupied Palestinian territory, describing Israel’s plans to advance the building of Israeli settlements as driving tensions and violence and being a major obstacle to lasting peace.

The UN chief’s comments come after five Palestinians were killed – including a 15-year-old boy – and more than 90 were wounded in the fiercest clashes in years, which erupted when Israeli forces raided the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Monday.

“The Secretary-General reiterates that settlements are a flagrant violation of international law. They are a major obstacle to realising a viable two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace,” Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said.

“The expansion of these illegal settlements is a significant driver of tensions and violence and deepens humanitarian needs,” Haq said.

Professor Jeff Halper, the former head of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, spoke to Radio Islam International. He said Israel attempts to quench or crush the Palestinian resistance’s last elements.

“They want to expand the settlements from 400 thousand settlers to 1 million in the next few years, at the same time end Palestinian resistance,” says Prof Halper.

Palestinian groups have also expressed deep concerns that the entire West Bank could soon come under Israeli control.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie.

Alternative Mining Indaba 2026

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 19 February 2026 1-minute read The Alternative Mining Indaba which concluded in Cape Town brought together an array of people under the theme: Alternative Stories of Mining, united in solidarity with the mining communities...

SANDF deployment to Cape Flats, parts of Gauteng sparks debate over long-term solutions

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 4-minute read 16 February 2026 President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to deploy the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to combat gang violence on the Cape Flats and in parts of Gauteng has been met with mixed reactions,...

ASRI Report: Key SONA 2026 Takeaways on Water, Crime and District Six

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 4-minute read 13 February 2026 President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) has placed renewed attention on some of South Africa’s most urgent crises — from water insecurity and violent crime, to the fragile...

SONA 2026: Calls for Action on Frontline Public Services

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 3-minute read 11 February 2026 As South Africa prepares for the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), renewed calls are being made for the government to prioritise the rebuilding of frontline public services, which analysts...

ActionSA’s Proposal For Immigrants

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 17 February 2026 2-minute read On the revised ‘White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection’ published last year, Actions SA has proposed for only 10 thousand applications for asylum seekers to be considered...

What DA Premier Expects From SONA

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 12 February 2026 2-minute read With 345 murders in the Western Cape this January, DA Premier Allen Winde states that his expectations from SONA this year are levelled towards crime. The party has been calling for a long time...