NAM SLAMS ISRAELI LAND SCAM

UN: The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has censured Israel over its latest plans to build more illegal settler units in the occupied Palestinian territories. NAM issued a statement condemning Israel after the group’s permanent representatives held a meeting on Monday in New York.

The NAM statement described Israel’s land-grab policy as a violation of international law.

The 120-member body also demanded that Israel halt its illegal settlement construction activities.

In addition, NAM urged the United Nations to pressure Israel to lift all the restrictions imposed on Palestinians.

Last month, Israeli officials said they would go ahead with plans to build 6,500 settler units on Palestinian territory, despite the opposition of the United Nations and the international community.

The presence and continued expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine has created a major obstacle for the efforts to establish peace in the Middle East.

More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds in 1967.

The UN and most countries regard the Israeli settlements as illegal because the territories were captured by Israel in a war in 1967 and are hence subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbids construction on occupied lands.

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