Robert Serry, UN special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, has expressed concern about Israel's failures to freeze settlement activity in the West Bank as well as a court decision expelling a Palestinian Legislative Council member, but he was pleased to hear that Israel will allow exports from Gaza, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said here Wednesday.
Nesirky said that Serry is concerned that Israel "has not heeded the Quartet's call to freeze settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem", Xinhua reported.
"He reiterated that settlements are contrary to the Roadmap and international law and that their continuation is causing a crisis of confidence in the effort to bring about meaningful political negotiations," Nesirky added.
Israel's decision not to renew a moratorium on settlement building in the areas of the West Bank and East Jerusalem recently stalled a series of United States-mediated peace talks being held between Israel and Palestine. The Quartet, a diplomatic group consisting of the UN, the U.S., Russia and the European Union, supported these talks and the continuation of the settlement freeze.
Serry also expressed worry about an Israeli court decision announced Wednesday that he said could set a "potential precedent, " Nesirky said.
The decision expelled a Jerusalem Legislative Council member and Hamas lawmaker, Mohamed Abu Tir, from Jerusalem to Ramallah in the West Bank.
According to Nesirky, there was a development in the Israel and Palestine conflict that Serry found to be positive, namely Israel' s decision to allow more exports from the Gaza Strip.
"He hopes that a full range of exports will be permitted and that crossing capacity will continue to be adjusted as necessary to meet demand," Nesirky said.
Gaza has been under Israeli blockade since it came under control of Hamas in 2007. Recently, the blockade has been eased somewhat after Israeli commandos raided an aid flotilla bound for Gaza on May 31, killing nine activists.