An-Najah News - Israel's approval of thousands of new settlement housing units in the occupied West Bank was condemned by the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov.

"On 14 and 15 October, the Israeli authorities advanced nearly 5,000 housing units, most of which are in outlying locations deep inside the occupied West Bank said Mladenov in a statement.

Settlement construction is illegal under international law and is one of the major obstacles to peace," "This significant number and location of advancements is of great concern to all those who remain committed to advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace." he added.

The UN Special Coordinator said this move "undermines the prospect of achieving a viable two-State solution.