12 july 2018
Nine House Democrats wrote a letter [PDF] on Wednesday, to United States president Donald Trump, requesting him to update the current status of U.S. funding towards Palestinian Authority (PA).
In spite being the largest single donor to UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), in January of 2018, the United States withheld $65 million from the organization, as they were “examining” the use of money, responding to the refusal of Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting with US officials following the controversy regarding Jerusalem being the official capital of Israel.
On 23 March, 2018, the United States passed the “Taylor Force Act” which fully cuts off funding for the PA unless it ceases to pay stipends to families of Palestinian prisoners, and revokes laws authorizing this compensation.
The USAID office in the West Bank and Gaza, an American international agency, has not received a budget for the following year, thus placing a halt to its projects, according to the PNN.
According to the letter, the impact of the funding freeze could lead to catastrophic consequences: “140,000 people will cease to receive emergency food and non-food assistance, 42,000 patients will not receive essential health services, 50,000 youths will lack access to life skills development, and 12,250 people will lose paid entrepreneurship opportunities.
“We believe these crucial humanitarian funds must be restored in order to save innocent lives.”
The letter [PDF] was signed by Ted Deutch, Gerald Connolly, David Cicilline, Lois Frankel, Tulsi Gabbard, Brendan Boyle, Ted Lieu, Bradley Schneider, Thomas Suozzi.
In spite being the largest single donor to UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), in January of 2018, the United States withheld $65 million from the organization, as they were “examining” the use of money, responding to the refusal of Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting with US officials following the controversy regarding Jerusalem being the official capital of Israel.
On 23 March, 2018, the United States passed the “Taylor Force Act” which fully cuts off funding for the PA unless it ceases to pay stipends to families of Palestinian prisoners, and revokes laws authorizing this compensation.
The USAID office in the West Bank and Gaza, an American international agency, has not received a budget for the following year, thus placing a halt to its projects, according to the PNN.
According to the letter, the impact of the funding freeze could lead to catastrophic consequences: “140,000 people will cease to receive emergency food and non-food assistance, 42,000 patients will not receive essential health services, 50,000 youths will lack access to life skills development, and 12,250 people will lose paid entrepreneurship opportunities.
“We believe these crucial humanitarian funds must be restored in order to save innocent lives.”
The letter [PDF] was signed by Ted Deutch, Gerald Connolly, David Cicilline, Lois Frankel, Tulsi Gabbard, Brendan Boyle, Ted Lieu, Bradley Schneider, Thomas Suozzi.
On the record quote from Chris Gunness, UNRWA Spokesperson:
“The recent announcement, by COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), that new measures will be taken to suspend exports from the Gaza Strip and restrict the import of goods to only humanitarian supplies approved by COGAT, can be expected to have profound and far reaching consequences for already desperate civilians in Gaza, nearly 75 per cent of whom are Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA and more than half of whom are children.
These measures will also likely lead to increased demand for UNRWA services at a time of unprecedented financial crisis and when Gaza is in the midst of a deepening and now protracted humanitarian crisis. Nearly 80 per cent of the population (1.2 million) is forced to rely on humanitarian assistance to cover their basic needs, including food, and the unemployment rate stood at 49.1 per cent as of the first quarter of 2018”.
“These additional restrictions further penalize the entire population in Gaza without regard to individual responsibility. Measures taken by Israel must be consistent with its international legal obligations. These developments risk exacerbating the worst impacts of the blockade and crippling further the economic capacity and livelihoods needed to support two million residents. The UN has repeatedly called for a full lifting of the blockade, a form of collective punishment contrary to Israel’s obligations under international law”.
The Commissioner-General, Pierre Krahenbuhl, pointed out: “These new measures are of great concern. They are counter-productive not least because they impact an entire population and further negatively affect Gaza’s economy. They will have serious repercussions in particular for women and youth.
“After eleven years of blockade, these measures will compound the sense of desperation and isolation, further depriving the next generation of hope and dignity.
“These developments remind us of the imperative necessity to address the underlying causes of the conflict and to take meaningful political action, including ending the illegal blockade of Gaza.”
“The recent announcement, by COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), that new measures will be taken to suspend exports from the Gaza Strip and restrict the import of goods to only humanitarian supplies approved by COGAT, can be expected to have profound and far reaching consequences for already desperate civilians in Gaza, nearly 75 per cent of whom are Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA and more than half of whom are children.
These measures will also likely lead to increased demand for UNRWA services at a time of unprecedented financial crisis and when Gaza is in the midst of a deepening and now protracted humanitarian crisis. Nearly 80 per cent of the population (1.2 million) is forced to rely on humanitarian assistance to cover their basic needs, including food, and the unemployment rate stood at 49.1 per cent as of the first quarter of 2018”.
“These additional restrictions further penalize the entire population in Gaza without regard to individual responsibility. Measures taken by Israel must be consistent with its international legal obligations. These developments risk exacerbating the worst impacts of the blockade and crippling further the economic capacity and livelihoods needed to support two million residents. The UN has repeatedly called for a full lifting of the blockade, a form of collective punishment contrary to Israel’s obligations under international law”.
The Commissioner-General, Pierre Krahenbuhl, pointed out: “These new measures are of great concern. They are counter-productive not least because they impact an entire population and further negatively affect Gaza’s economy. They will have serious repercussions in particular for women and youth.
“After eleven years of blockade, these measures will compound the sense of desperation and isolation, further depriving the next generation of hope and dignity.
“These developments remind us of the imperative necessity to address the underlying causes of the conflict and to take meaningful political action, including ending the illegal blockade of Gaza.”
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Thursday at dawn, Jenin city, Jenin refugee camp and Burqin town, in northern West Bank, conducted extensive military searches and installed sudden roadblocks.
Media sources in Jenin said dozens of soldiers invaded the city, especially The Interior Ministry Junction, al-Bayader area, al-Marah, az-Zahra’ neighborhood, Marah Sa’ad, and the UNRWA Schools.
They added that the soldiers also invaded Burqin town, west of Jenin, and installed sudden roadblocks around many villages and towns, east of Jenin, before stopping and searching dozes of cars.
Media sources in Jenin said dozens of soldiers invaded the city, especially The Interior Ministry Junction, al-Bayader area, al-Marah, az-Zahra’ neighborhood, Marah Sa’ad, and the UNRWA Schools.
They added that the soldiers also invaded Burqin town, west of Jenin, and installed sudden roadblocks around many villages and towns, east of Jenin, before stopping and searching dozes of cars.
4 july 2018
UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl visited Yarmouk on Tuesday, 3 July 2018, became the first senior UN official in years to access the camp, which remains an enduring symbol of the Palestine Refugee diaspora, and of the extreme human costs of the devastating conflict in the country.
Krähenbühl said “The scale of the destruction in Yarmouk compares to very little else that I have seen in many years of humanitarian work in conflict zones.”
Once a proud neighborhood home to some 160,000 Palestine refugees, the camp now lies in utter ruin. Wherever one looks, the horror experienced by inhabitants of Yarmouk is all too evident. Yet again, Palestine refugees were exposed to the trauma of displacement, loss of relatives, homes and livelihoods. “In every visit to Syria over the past years – and again during this visit – Palestine refugees have spoken of the pride of what Yarmouk represents in the history of the community,” the Commissioner-General underlined, adding: “Today, they express deep anxieties about what the immediate and longer-term future holds and about the prospect of return and reconstruction.”
Carrying out a three-day mission to Syria from 1 to 3 July 2018, the Commissioner-General also met with Palestine Refugees, UNRWA students and staff, as well as with senior government officials and diplomats, according to the PNN.
Krähenbühl visited Yalda, to meet Palestine refugees displaced from Yarmouk, including during the most recent round of fighting in the neighborhood, when Government forces reestablished control of the area. Speaking to refugees during distributions of aid in Yalda, the Commissioner-General heard stories of unimaginable despair, from people who faced extreme conditions, suffering and pain inside Yarmouk over the years: “Being able to access Palestine refugees again in Yalda, was very important for UNRWA. Providing essential assistance to people who have been exposed to such dramatic circumstances, lies at the heart of our mission.”
Krähenbühl also travelled to Sbeineh, a previously an embattled area to the south of Damascus, to which Palestine refugees have been authorized to return. UNRWA rehabilitated key installations – its schools, clinics and community centers – providing vital services to some 10,000 Palestine refugees and helping to recreate a sense of normalcy for a deeply scarred community, and encouraging further returns. “The impact of people returning to their homes, often after years of internal displacement, is very significant.
UNRWA’s long experience in Syria has allowed us to play an important supportive role to the refugee community in Sbeineh,” said the Commissioner-General.
In Damascus itself, Mr Krähenbühl took part in a ceremony to honor a group of highest performing 9th Grade UNRWA students, the vast majority of whom are girls. This included a meeting with Aya Abbas, who was born and grew up in Yarmouk, before having to flee the camp in late 2012 when the conflict engulfed the neighborhood. Despite the immense adversity, she scored top marks in all her final exams. Mr. Krähenbühl congratulated her and the other students for their courage and achievements: “You are an inspiration to all Palestine refugees and to the world.”
The Commissioner-General held meetings with UNRWA staff in Damascus, Yalda and Sbeineh, as well as from Aleppo, Dera’a, and Homs, first and foremost to express his deep respect and recognition for their outstanding determination and courage over all these years of conflict. At a time when the Agency faces an unprecedented financial crisis, staff expressed strong worries about the possible impact on services.
The Commissioner-General informed them of latest developments in the efforts to mobilize the critically needed additional funding, noting that UNRWA will knock at every door and reach out to every existing and potential donor: “I cannot imagine saying to our proud students that we have failed to keep open the schools that are so important in their lives.”
The Commissioner-General met in Damascus with H.E. Dr. Faisal Miqdad, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, H.E. Mr Hussein Makhlouf, Minister of a Local Administration and Environment and Mr Ali Mustafa, Director General of the General Administration for Palestine Arab Refugees (GAPAR).
These meetings were an important opportunity to discuss the situation of Palestine refugees in Syria, the need for ongoing steps to ensure their security and protection, as well as access to some of the delicate areas where Palestine Refugees are located. The meetings focused in particular on Yarmouk and the prospects of return for Palestine refugees.
The Commissioner-General highlighted UNRWA’s strong determination to stand with the Palestine refugee community and confirmed that the Agency is prepared to carry out a broader assessment of conditions in Yarmouk once security and more general access opportunities permit.
Krähenbühl expressed recognition for the support received from the Government in terms of recent access approvals to access Yalda, and Yarmouk today, and stated UNRWA’s readiness to provide additional support to Palestine refugees in and around Dera’a, who are currently experiencing significant hardship and risks in light of the escalation of violence in the south of Syria.
The Commissioner-General also repeated his appeal for ongoing protection and respect for UNRWA’s staff in their daily activities. This is a matter of utmost importance and UNRWA itself has taken several initiatives to strengthen its ability to support staff facing a diversity of security concerns.
While in Syria the Commissioner-General called on the world to preserve its commitment and support to Palestine refugees: “if we are serious about leaving no one behind, we need to match the unparalleled courage shown by UNRWA students and celebrate their skills. UNRWA’s education and other services need to stay open. It is a matter of rights and dignity.”
07/02/18 Trump’s Massive Funding Cut Plunges UN Palestinian Refugee Agency into Crisis
Krähenbühl said “The scale of the destruction in Yarmouk compares to very little else that I have seen in many years of humanitarian work in conflict zones.”
Once a proud neighborhood home to some 160,000 Palestine refugees, the camp now lies in utter ruin. Wherever one looks, the horror experienced by inhabitants of Yarmouk is all too evident. Yet again, Palestine refugees were exposed to the trauma of displacement, loss of relatives, homes and livelihoods. “In every visit to Syria over the past years – and again during this visit – Palestine refugees have spoken of the pride of what Yarmouk represents in the history of the community,” the Commissioner-General underlined, adding: “Today, they express deep anxieties about what the immediate and longer-term future holds and about the prospect of return and reconstruction.”
Carrying out a three-day mission to Syria from 1 to 3 July 2018, the Commissioner-General also met with Palestine Refugees, UNRWA students and staff, as well as with senior government officials and diplomats, according to the PNN.
Krähenbühl visited Yalda, to meet Palestine refugees displaced from Yarmouk, including during the most recent round of fighting in the neighborhood, when Government forces reestablished control of the area. Speaking to refugees during distributions of aid in Yalda, the Commissioner-General heard stories of unimaginable despair, from people who faced extreme conditions, suffering and pain inside Yarmouk over the years: “Being able to access Palestine refugees again in Yalda, was very important for UNRWA. Providing essential assistance to people who have been exposed to such dramatic circumstances, lies at the heart of our mission.”
Krähenbühl also travelled to Sbeineh, a previously an embattled area to the south of Damascus, to which Palestine refugees have been authorized to return. UNRWA rehabilitated key installations – its schools, clinics and community centers – providing vital services to some 10,000 Palestine refugees and helping to recreate a sense of normalcy for a deeply scarred community, and encouraging further returns. “The impact of people returning to their homes, often after years of internal displacement, is very significant.
UNRWA’s long experience in Syria has allowed us to play an important supportive role to the refugee community in Sbeineh,” said the Commissioner-General.
In Damascus itself, Mr Krähenbühl took part in a ceremony to honor a group of highest performing 9th Grade UNRWA students, the vast majority of whom are girls. This included a meeting with Aya Abbas, who was born and grew up in Yarmouk, before having to flee the camp in late 2012 when the conflict engulfed the neighborhood. Despite the immense adversity, she scored top marks in all her final exams. Mr. Krähenbühl congratulated her and the other students for their courage and achievements: “You are an inspiration to all Palestine refugees and to the world.”
The Commissioner-General held meetings with UNRWA staff in Damascus, Yalda and Sbeineh, as well as from Aleppo, Dera’a, and Homs, first and foremost to express his deep respect and recognition for their outstanding determination and courage over all these years of conflict. At a time when the Agency faces an unprecedented financial crisis, staff expressed strong worries about the possible impact on services.
The Commissioner-General informed them of latest developments in the efforts to mobilize the critically needed additional funding, noting that UNRWA will knock at every door and reach out to every existing and potential donor: “I cannot imagine saying to our proud students that we have failed to keep open the schools that are so important in their lives.”
The Commissioner-General met in Damascus with H.E. Dr. Faisal Miqdad, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, H.E. Mr Hussein Makhlouf, Minister of a Local Administration and Environment and Mr Ali Mustafa, Director General of the General Administration for Palestine Arab Refugees (GAPAR).
These meetings were an important opportunity to discuss the situation of Palestine refugees in Syria, the need for ongoing steps to ensure their security and protection, as well as access to some of the delicate areas where Palestine Refugees are located. The meetings focused in particular on Yarmouk and the prospects of return for Palestine refugees.
The Commissioner-General highlighted UNRWA’s strong determination to stand with the Palestine refugee community and confirmed that the Agency is prepared to carry out a broader assessment of conditions in Yarmouk once security and more general access opportunities permit.
Krähenbühl expressed recognition for the support received from the Government in terms of recent access approvals to access Yalda, and Yarmouk today, and stated UNRWA’s readiness to provide additional support to Palestine refugees in and around Dera’a, who are currently experiencing significant hardship and risks in light of the escalation of violence in the south of Syria.
The Commissioner-General also repeated his appeal for ongoing protection and respect for UNRWA’s staff in their daily activities. This is a matter of utmost importance and UNRWA itself has taken several initiatives to strengthen its ability to support staff facing a diversity of security concerns.
While in Syria the Commissioner-General called on the world to preserve its commitment and support to Palestine refugees: “if we are serious about leaving no one behind, we need to match the unparalleled courage shown by UNRWA students and celebrate their skills. UNRWA’s education and other services need to stay open. It is a matter of rights and dignity.”
07/02/18 Trump’s Massive Funding Cut Plunges UN Palestinian Refugee Agency into Crisis
21 june 2018
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics released a statement Wednesday to mark the occasion of World Refugee Day. The report stated that Palestinians make up the world’s largest refugee population, with around 5.9 million Palestinian refugees around the world.
According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), Palestinian refugees live in 58 camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and other countries, while many others have settled in refugee camps in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip.
“Palestinian refugees in the West Bank who are registered with UNRWA in 2017 accounted for up to 17% of the total registered refugees against 24.4% in the Gaza Strip,” said the PCBS in the statement, which was released on the occasion of the World Refugee Day.
Jordan has the largest number of Palestinian refugees with 39% of the total refugee population, followed by Syria and Lebanon 10.5% and 9.1% respectively.
According to PCBS, 43% of Palestinians in the State of Palestine are displaced refugees.
The poverty rate among Palestinian refugees registered 39% in 2017, while it reached 22.3% among non-refugees, the statement said.
“Unemployment rate among refugees reached up to 34.7% compared to 22.8% among non-refugees in 2017,” it added.
Illiteracy among Palestinian refugees in 2017 for individuals aged 15 years and above reached 3.0%, while it reached 3.6% among non-refugees, the PCBS said.
According to a report by al-Anadolu news agency, World Refugee Day comes a month after the 70th anniversary of the Nakba (Catastrophe), the term used by the Palestinians to refer to the creation of Israel in 1948.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict dates back to 1917 when the British government, in the now-famous “Balfour Declaration,” called for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people”.
For many Palestinians, the right of return to their homes in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel is an inalienable right.
ANERA, American Near East Refugee Aid, said in their World Refugee Day statement that the protests in Gaza that have been ongoing since March 30th are a direct result of this refugee crisis.
“In recent months, simmering anger over closed borders and broken dreams of home sent hundreds of Palestinians to protest along the separation wall with Israel. The violence that ensued underscored Gaza’s suffering. Restricted movement in and out of Gaza has translated into shortages of basic foodstuffs and medical supplies, the separation of families and overall conditions the United Nations has described as unlivable.
“Jabalya camp, for instance, is about 1.4 square kilometers and is home to more than 100,000. It is considered one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Jabalia’s open air market is one of the largest in the Gaza Strip but few can afford to buy what’s on display. Unemployment is nearly 50% and few are allowed to leave the area to find work or even medical aid for chronic or life-threatening ailments.
“Ironically, many of the camp elders are living only a few kilometers from homes they were forced to flee and have probably never seen again. Youngsters growing up in Gaza see despair and dream of making their own memories far from home.”
According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), Palestinian refugees live in 58 camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and other countries, while many others have settled in refugee camps in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip.
“Palestinian refugees in the West Bank who are registered with UNRWA in 2017 accounted for up to 17% of the total registered refugees against 24.4% in the Gaza Strip,” said the PCBS in the statement, which was released on the occasion of the World Refugee Day.
Jordan has the largest number of Palestinian refugees with 39% of the total refugee population, followed by Syria and Lebanon 10.5% and 9.1% respectively.
According to PCBS, 43% of Palestinians in the State of Palestine are displaced refugees.
The poverty rate among Palestinian refugees registered 39% in 2017, while it reached 22.3% among non-refugees, the statement said.
“Unemployment rate among refugees reached up to 34.7% compared to 22.8% among non-refugees in 2017,” it added.
Illiteracy among Palestinian refugees in 2017 for individuals aged 15 years and above reached 3.0%, while it reached 3.6% among non-refugees, the PCBS said.
According to a report by al-Anadolu news agency, World Refugee Day comes a month after the 70th anniversary of the Nakba (Catastrophe), the term used by the Palestinians to refer to the creation of Israel in 1948.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict dates back to 1917 when the British government, in the now-famous “Balfour Declaration,” called for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people”.
For many Palestinians, the right of return to their homes in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel is an inalienable right.
ANERA, American Near East Refugee Aid, said in their World Refugee Day statement that the protests in Gaza that have been ongoing since March 30th are a direct result of this refugee crisis.
“In recent months, simmering anger over closed borders and broken dreams of home sent hundreds of Palestinians to protest along the separation wall with Israel. The violence that ensued underscored Gaza’s suffering. Restricted movement in and out of Gaza has translated into shortages of basic foodstuffs and medical supplies, the separation of families and overall conditions the United Nations has described as unlivable.
“Jabalya camp, for instance, is about 1.4 square kilometers and is home to more than 100,000. It is considered one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Jabalia’s open air market is one of the largest in the Gaza Strip but few can afford to buy what’s on display. Unemployment is nearly 50% and few are allowed to leave the area to find work or even medical aid for chronic or life-threatening ailments.
“Ironically, many of the camp elders are living only a few kilometers from homes they were forced to flee and have probably never seen again. Youngsters growing up in Gaza see despair and dream of making their own memories far from home.”
20 june 2018
UN peace coordinator Nickolay Mladenov has warned the UNRWA intends to delay payment of salaries to its employees and suspend some of its operations.
In his briefing to the Security Council on Tuesday, Mladenov also said that the UNRWA would shrink the urgent aid provided for Palestinian refugees in Gaza and other areas.
“Facing an unprecedented shortfall of over USD 250 million, UNRWA is weeks away from painful cuts to its emergency assistance for Gaza and elsewhere in the region,” he affirmed.
“In Gaza itself, this would include a deferral of salaries to some of its workforce in July and the start of suspending core operations in August. UNRWA and its stakeholders are making every effort to ensure that essential operations continue.
To this end, a pledging conference will be held here in New York on the 25th June,” the UN official added.
In his briefing to the Security Council on Tuesday, Mladenov also said that the UNRWA would shrink the urgent aid provided for Palestinian refugees in Gaza and other areas.
“Facing an unprecedented shortfall of over USD 250 million, UNRWA is weeks away from painful cuts to its emergency assistance for Gaza and elsewhere in the region,” he affirmed.
“In Gaza itself, this would include a deferral of salaries to some of its workforce in July and the start of suspending core operations in August. UNRWA and its stakeholders are making every effort to ensure that essential operations continue.
To this end, a pledging conference will be held here in New York on the 25th June,” the UN official added.
19 june 2018
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday warned of an imminent war between Israel and the Palestinians in case the current humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli blockade for 12 years now, remains as it is.
This came in Guterres' first report to the Security Council on Resolution 2334 which was issued on 23rd December 2016.
Resolution 2334 calls for an immediate halt to the settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, and confirms that Israel's settlement activities are illegal and blatantly violate international law.
The UN chief said in the report that he is shocked by the Israeli occupation forces' use of lethal force since border protests began in Gaza on 30th March.
He stressed that Israel has a responsibility to exercise maximum restraint and not to use live fire except as a last resort in the event of a real threat.
At least 136 Palestinians have been killed and over 13,000 injured by Israeli gunfire during peaceful protests along Gaza's eastern border in demand of the Palestinian refugees' right of return to their lands from which they were expelled in the 1948 war.
He renewed his call for a transparent and independent investigation into the killing of unarmed civilians in Gaza's border protests.
Guterres in his report warned that Israel's settlement activities continue unabated and undermine the hopes and the practical prospects for establishing a viable Palestinian state.
This came in Guterres' first report to the Security Council on Resolution 2334 which was issued on 23rd December 2016.
Resolution 2334 calls for an immediate halt to the settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, and confirms that Israel's settlement activities are illegal and blatantly violate international law.
The UN chief said in the report that he is shocked by the Israeli occupation forces' use of lethal force since border protests began in Gaza on 30th March.
He stressed that Israel has a responsibility to exercise maximum restraint and not to use live fire except as a last resort in the event of a real threat.
At least 136 Palestinians have been killed and over 13,000 injured by Israeli gunfire during peaceful protests along Gaza's eastern border in demand of the Palestinian refugees' right of return to their lands from which they were expelled in the 1948 war.
He renewed his call for a transparent and independent investigation into the killing of unarmed civilians in Gaza's border protests.
Guterres in his report warned that Israel's settlement activities continue unabated and undermine the hopes and the practical prospects for establishing a viable Palestinian state.
