SAFA- UN Secretary-General António Guterres affirmed that all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, lack any legal legitimacy and constitute a flagrant violation of international law and all relevant UN resolutions.

The official spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, said during the daily press briefing last night that Guterres expressed deep concern over the Israeli occupation authorities granting "city" status to the Israeli settlement of "Givat Ze'ev" located in the occupied West Bank.

 He stressed that this administrative designation does not change the legal status of the city under international law as an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory.

Dujarric added that the Secretary-General emphasizes that Israeli settlements continue to pose a major obstacle to achieving the two-state solution.

 He noted that the Secretary-General renews calls on Israel to halt all colonial expansion activities, in line with relevant Security Council resolutions, pointing to the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on July 19, 2024.