A/HRC/10/29 3. Expresses its grave concern at: (a) The continuing Israeli settlement and related activities, in violation of international law, including the expansion of settlements, the expropriation of land, the demolition of houses, the confiscation and destruction of property, the expulsion of Palestinians and the construction of bypass roads, which change the physical character and demographic composition of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan, and constitute a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and in particular article 49 of that Convention, and recalls that settlements are a major obstacle to the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace and to the creation of an independent, viable, sovereign and democratic Palestinian State; (b) The Israeli planned settlement construction in the vicinity of the Adam settlements in the occupied West Bank, which constitutes a new settlement block; (c) The increasing number of newly built structures, in 2008 amounting to 1,257, including 748 permanent buildings and 509 mobile structures, which obstruct the efforts of the international community to advance the Middle East peace process; (d) The implications for the final status negotiations of the announcement by Israel that it will retain the major settlement blocks in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including settlements located in the Jordan Valley; (e) The expansion of Israeli settlements and the construction of new ones in the Occupied Palestinian Territory rendered inaccessible behind the wall, which create a fait accompli on the ground that could well be permanent and would be tantamount to de facto annexation; (f) The continued closures of and within the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and the restriction of the freedom of movement of people and goods, including the repeated closures of the crossing points of the Occupied Gaza Strip, which have created an extremely precarious humanitarian situation for the civilian population as well as impaired the economic and social rights of the Palestinian people; (g) The continued construction, contrary to international law, of the wall inside the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem; (h) The latest Israeli plan to demolish more than 88 houses in the Al-Bustan neighbourhood of Silwan, which will result in the displacement of more than 1,500 Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem; 4. Urges Israel, the occupying Power: (a) To reverse the settlement policy in the occupied territories, including in East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan and, as a first step towards their dismantlement, to stop immediately the expansion of the existing settlements, including “natural growth” and related activities; (b) To prevent any new installation of settlers in the occupied territories; 5. Urges the full implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access of 15 November 2005, particularly the urgent reopening of the Rafah and Karni crossings, which are crucial to the passage of foodstuffs and essential supplies, as well as the access of United Nations agencies to and within the Occupied Palestinian Territory; 6. Calls upon Israel to take and implement serious measures, including confiscation of arms and enforcement of criminal sanctions, with the aim of preventing acts of violence by Israeli settlers, and other measures to guarantee the safety and protection of GE.09-17451 47