The Secretary-General reiterates that settlements are a flagrant violation of international law UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged Israel to halt and reverse what he described as troubling and alarming decisions on settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, a UN spokesperson said. “The Secretary-General reiterates that settlements are a flagrant violation of international law. They are a major obstacle to the realization of a viable two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace,” deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement. “The expansion of these illegal settlements is a significant driver of tensions and violence and deepens humanitarian needs,” Haq said.