UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned Israel’s plans to build thousands of new settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, calling them illegal under international law. He warned that such settlements deepen occupation, heighten tensions, and threaten the viability of a future Palestinian state. The UN urged Israel to immediately stop all settlement activities, reaffirming obligations highlighted in the International Court of Justice advisory opinion. The Palestinian Authority also criticized the move as part of the “Greater Israel” vision.