Ban deeply troubled by new Israeli settlements

UN leader Ban Ki-moon is "deeply troubled" by Israel's decision to approve three new settlements in the West Bank, a spokesman said Tuesday. "The secretary-general reiterates that all settlement activity is illegal under international law," said UN deputy spokesman Eduardo del Buey. "The secretary-general is deeply troubled by the decision of the government of Israel to formally approve three outposts in the West Bank: Sansana, Rechelim and Bruchin." Ban called the decision "contrary" to promises Israel has made to the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East -- the United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations -- and "repeated Quartet calls for the parties to refrain from provocations,'' reported AFP. "The secretary-general is disappointed that such a decision comes at a time of renewed efforts to restart dialogue," said the spokesman. Israel announced earlier that it has decided to legalize the three settler outposts. The move was denounced by the Palestinians as a dismissive response to a letter from president Mahmud Abbas calling for a settlement freeze. Bruchin, Rechelim and Sansana had no Israeli legal status since they were set up in the 1990s, but will now join the 120 official settlements dotted across the occupied West Bank that are home to more than 342,000 people.