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Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East report of the Secretary-General on the Implementation of UNSCR 2334 (2016), 22 March 2022

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Madam President,

Members of the Security Council,

On behalf of the Secretary-General, I will devote this briefing to presenting his 21st report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), covering the period from 10 December to 18 March.

Madam President,

Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) calls on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” and to “fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard.” No such steps were taken .

On 5 January, Israeli authorities published tenders for some 300 settlement housing units in the Talpiyot East neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

On 10 and 24 January, the Jerusalem District Planning Committee advanced plans to build some 800 and 400 housing units respectively in the East Jerusalem settlement of Gilo.

On 17 January, the same Committee advanced a plan for some 1,200 housing units next to Ramat Rachel in the southern Jerusalem area, a significant number of which are intended for construction in East Jerusalem.

On 1 February, following an official land survey, Israel’s Attorney-General published a legal opinion allowing authorities to declare land in the outpost of Evyatar as “state land” and authorizing accelerated planning procedures for the establishment of a settlement there.

On 28 February, the Jerusalem District Planning Committee advanced a plan for some 700 housing units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev.

Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures continued across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Citing the absence of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, 216 structures were demolished or seized by Israeli authorities or demolished by their owners to avoid costly Israeli demolition fees. These actions displaced 299 people, including 138 children and 76 women. A total of 37 structures demolished or seized were donor-funded.

In an effort to reduce tensions, Israeli authorities reportedly decided to freeze most demolitions in East Jerusalem before and during the month of Ramadan.

Tensions were high in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in the run-up to 19 January, when Israeli forces evicted a Palestinian family and demolished their home. Twelve Palestinians were displaced including two children and three women, with several arrests reported. Israeli authorities stated that the demolition was undertaken to build a special needs school to serve Palestinian children.

Tensions mounted further in February over the potential eviction by Israeli authorities of a Palestinian family scheduled for March. Following weeks of numerous violent altercations, protests, and property damage in the neighborhood, the atmosphere calmed somewhat after a 22 February decision by an Israeli Magistrates Court to suspend the eviction, pending consideration of an appeal submitted by the family. In developments that further reduced tensions, Israel's Supreme Court ruled on 1 March that four other families in the neighborhood would not be evicted and would be recognized as “protected tenants,” paying a nominal rent, until a determination is made on their claims to ownership. On 3 March, the families held a press conference noting the importance of the Supreme Court's decision and vowing to continue pressing their claims for ownership of their homes.

Read full briefing here