UN declares Israeli settlements a clear violation of international law

United Nations Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq has said that all Israeli settlement activities constitute a clear violation of international law. Haq said on Monday that all settlements in the occupied West Bank, including newly planned farms and outposts, lack legal validity and constitute a clear breach of international law. He stressed that the illegal settlements remain a major obstacle to achieving a solution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace.

The spokesperson noted that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has voiced serious concern over escalating violence across the West Bank in recent days. Israeli forces have tightened movement restrictions in many areas, preventing thousands of Palestinians from accessing essential services, including emergency medical care and sources of livelihood, he added.

OCHA has recorded more than 1,330 settler-related incidents since the start of 2026, resulting in casualties and property damage. Until Saturday, 77 Palestinians, including 18 children, were killed this year by Israeli forces or settlers, with many others injured.

Israeli news outlets reported on June 30 that a plan to build 229 new settlement units in the West Bank had been formally approved, reflecting the regime’s insistence on expanding settlements in the occupied territories.

According to Mehr News, the UN reiterated its longstanding position that settlements are illegal under international law and called for an end to such activities.