HAMILTON, Canada

A majority of UN Security Council members on Tuesday strongly denounced Israel's illegal settlement policies and the "forcible displacement" of Palestinians.

Speaking on behalf of Bahrain, Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, Pakistan, Somalia, and the United Kingdom, Pakistan's UN envoy Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said the group reiterates "firm opposition to the annexation of any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and to any forcible displacement of the Palestinian people."

Ahmad stressed that "such measures violate international law, undermine ongoing peace efforts, run counter to the Comprehensive plan and jeopardize the prospect of achieving just and lasting peace," noting that the Security Council "has condemned all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem."

Collectively, the eight nations are calling on Israel to "immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem," and to "fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard."

"This illegal settlement policy and Israeli settlers' continuous and escalating attacks against the Palestinian civilian population, as well as the violence against Palestinian communities, including the recent killing of Palestinian children by Israeli forces, are unacceptable and must be brought to an immediate end," Ahmad said, adding that those responsible must be held to account.

French envoy to the UN Jerome Bonnafont, for his part, reaffirmed "the collective commitment reflected in the New York Declaration to take concrete measures in accordance with international law" to realize Palestinian self-determination, while also voicing "deep concern regarding the grave humanitarian and economic situation unfolding in the occupied Palestinian territory."