UN human rights investigators have called on Israel to “cease all settlement activities” and withdraw all Jewish settlers from the occupied West Bank. Israel is accused of violating international ... more 

UN human rights investigators have called on Israel to “cease all settlement activities” and withdraw all Jewish settlers from the occupied West Bank. Israel is accused of violating international law by continuing to transfer civilian populations into occupied land, in the UN Human Rights Committee inquiry led by French judge Christine Chanet. “It’s the first time that you will find an historical background very exaustive of all the settlements enterprise,” said Chanet. “So the governments of Israel are openly – sometimes not so openly in international stage – supported the settlements, but they have the full control of the planification (planning and building) of the settlements,” she added. Israel did not cooperate in the investigation and has accused the body investigating settlements of being biased. The UN estimates the number of Jewish settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is 520,000. less