UN assembly holds another session on Israel's illegal settlements

The General Assembly may reconvene as early as this Friday an emergency special session on illegal Israeli practices in the Occupied Palestinian territory, diplomats said on Monday.

During a meeting of the Arab group at the United Nations, the Palestinian delegation introduced a draft resolution requesting that Israel end its illegal actions in Occupied east Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, MAP reported.

It refers, in particular, to the construction of the new Israeli settlement at Jabal Abu-Ghneim, the building of other settlements and the expansion of existing ones.

The 185-member assembly has already met four times on this issue, last in march 1998.

The draft resolution condemns Israel's failure to comply with the assembly's previous decisions, and reaffirms that all Israeli measures that have altered or purport to alter the character, legal status and demographic composition of Al Quds and the rest of the occupied territory, are null and void and have no legal validity.

The resolution reaffirms previous recommendations to member states halting all assistance and support for illegal Israeli activities in the Occupied territory, including Al-Quds (Jerusalem).