IBSA asks Israel to stop settlement activities

United Nations, Dec 21 (PTI) Voicing deep concern over the deteriorating Middle East situation, the IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) group of emerging powers has asked Israel to stop the "illegal" settlement activities in occupied territories and condemned violent attacks on Palestinians. After hearing a UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East by Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, IBSA said Israel's continued settlement activities were a major roadblock to peace negotiations with Palestinians. "We are deeply disturbed by the deterioration of situation on the ground and the escalation of violence," Brazil's UN Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, accompanied by Indian deputy Permanent Representative Manjeev Singh Puri, told reporters here Tuesday. She said the IBSA countries believe that continued settlement activities by Israel are "not only illegal under international law but also a major obstacle to peace." Israel has to stop settlement activities, not as a "concession" in the course of the negotiations but rather as an obligation under various UN Security Council resolutions and international law. IBSA also condemned the increasing violence by settlers against Palestinians living in adjacent areas. Demanding action against those indulging in such violence, Viotti said evictions and demolition of Palestinians' homes are equally disturbing. It is also a matter of concern that Israel is yet to submit its proposals on security and border to the quartet of US, UN, Russia and EU envoys while the Palestinian side has already submitted the proposals, she said. PTI