Jordan urges Israel to stop unilateral actions; Israel approves 119 new settler homes; Israel resumes fund transfers to Palestine; UN demands full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Golan; US Defence Secretary urges Israel to negotiate with Palestinians
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    • According to reports, Jordan King Abdullah urged Israel to stop its unilateral actions, which pose real obstacles to peace efforts. During a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Amman, the King said Israel must cease all forms of settlement and refrain from any measures that could change the features of Jerusalem, or affect Islamic and Christian holy places in the Holy City. Both leaders also discussed ways to revive the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations on the basis of the two-state solution, in accordance with international resolutions and in line with the agreed-upon terms of reference, in particular the Arab Peace Initiative.1

    In another development, according to reports, Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now revealed that Israel has approved construction of more than 100 homes in the West Bank settlement of Shilo, a move likely to bring fresh international condemnation. The approval came to light after the group petitioned Israel's supreme court in March 2011 to halt construction of an initial 50 housing units, prompting the court to request a government response. In reply, the defence ministry informed that it had approved a plan to build 119 housing units, including the 50 already under construction.2

    Meanwhile, according to reports, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta urged Israel to go back to the negotiating table with Palestinians and to address the country's growing isolation in the Middle East. Panetta urged Israel to move forward to achieve peace with the Palestinians, and said that rather than undermining the Palestinian Authority, it is in Israel's interests to strengthen it by continuing to transfer Palestinian tax revenues and pursuing other avenues of co-operation.3

    In another development, the United Nations General Assembly renewed its demand for full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Syria Golan to the June 4, 1967, line in implementation of relevant Security Council's resolutions. The UN's demand came during the adopting of a resolution entitled ‘the Syrian Golan’ which was submitted directly to the UN General Assembly under the item entitled "the Situation in the Middle East." 120 countries voted in favor of the resolution, while 7 countries voted against it and 53 countries, including the European Union countries, abstained.4

    In other developments, according to reports, nearly a month after it froze fund transfers over the Palestinians’ admission to UNESCO, Israel said that it would resume sending millions of dollars in customs duties to the Palestinian Authority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the renewal of the transfer of tax monies to the Palestinian Authority.5

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