The Security Council members, including the United States, all condemned the Israeli settlements, and declared them illegal and illegitimate. Israel faced a scathing attack by all countries because of its policy in building settlements on West Bank lands, during an open discussion in the Security Council session on the current situation in the Middle East. They demanded that Israel stops all settlement activity on Palestinian lands including East Jerusalem.
Israel retaliated quickly, for the Ministry of Defense disclosed a plan of 500 million Shekels to double security measures around Israeli settlements including those on West Bank territories. Jerusalem Post also published that the Ministry of Defense along with the Army declared a plan that aims to repair and improve security measures around settlements in the West Bank, where advanced radars and surveillance systems will be installed along with checkpoints and industrial and natural barriers, to ensure the settlements' security.The United Nations also demanded that Israel stops immediately the demolition of Palestinian houses, in tackling a yearly report of the number of people whose houses have been demolished following the Israeli policy. It also demanded that Israel respects the international law that forbids forced evictions, deportation of civilians, and destroying private property.
At the same time, the Israeli army published files that disclosed that the attacks against Palestinians by Israel settlers have broken a record in 2011. These files that were prepared by the so-called Central Command, noted that during 2011, 601 attacks took place against Palestinians, their possessions and sacred places, and against Israeli security forces. While there were 504 attacks in 2010, and 433 attacks in 2009. The army claimed that these attacks decreased after the uproar caused by the attack against an Israeli military base in the West Bank, the assault on an Israeli officer and the vandalism of military machines.
In the obvious escalating measures Israel has taken against Palestinians, and to continue the attacks, Israel has also taken a new provocative and illegal step by raiding the Red Cross Headquarters in Jerusalem, and arresting Senator Muhammad Totah and ex-Minister Khaled Abu Arafa who were protesting there for nearly two years against the unfair Israeli decision to deport them from the city. The arrest was not the only illegal act, but also, breaking entry at the Red Cross Headquarters for whatever reasons, is another violation of the international law against an association who has international immunity even at war time. They also arrested the head of the Palestinian parliament Dr. Aziz Dweik and senator Khaled Tafesh.
