U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is continuing to call for Israel to rescind its settlement plans in the E1 area of the West Bank, a spokesman said Monday. U.N. deputy spokesman Eduardo del Buey said at a news briefing that Ban Ki-Moon is following "with concern" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pledge made Sunday to move ahead with construction of a new Jewish settlement in the E1 area. The new settlement would further separate East Al-Quds city (Jerusalem) from the West Bank. The U.N. Secretary General has noted that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law, del Buey said. Palestinian demonstrations, which Israel broke up Sunday, were largely non-violent, and they have a right to peaceful protest, del Buey said.
