UNSC to convene a meet on west bank settlements ahead of us peace plan

The United Nations Security Council is planning to hold a meeting on the settlements in disputed West Bank region on May 9 ahead of the release of the United States peace plan.

"The security council could hold a possible Arria formula meeting on May 9 focused on the issue of settlements in Palestine," announced UNSC in a statement.

At the UNSC meeting on Monday, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon defended the Jewish right to the land of Israel, including the settlements, Jerusalem Post reported

The UNSC meeting comes in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump peace plan which is expected to be released in June. It has been criticised from all corners of the world for being very close to what Israelis want. So far speculation is that the deal, which is engineered byTrump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, does not include a two-state solution, which was promoted by several countries.

Tensions are brewing up since Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced annexing settlements in the occupied West Bank area.

In 2016, The UNSC held a meeting to end Israel's settlement activity, intra-Palestinian discord and urging renewal of talks on the two-state solution but nothing conclusive came out of it.

Later on, the UNSC approved resolution 2334, which condemns all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition,character and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, including, inter alia, the construction and expansion of settlements,transfer of Israeli settlers, confiscation of land, demolition of homes and displacement of Palestinian civilians, in violation of international humanitarian law and relevant resolutions.

West Bank is a disputed territory, with Israel and Palestinians equally claiming it. Over 400,000 Jews live in West Bank settlements. Another 200,000-plus live in East Jerusalem neighbourhoods annexed by Israel after the 1967 war.