A/HRC/35/19/Add.1 Table 6 Overview of recommendations related to settlements Number of recommendations Percentage in this thematic area Percentage of all recommendations Settlement expansion 20 21.5% 2.2% Zoning and building permits 18 19.4% 1.9% Forced transfer 20 21.5% 2.2% Demolitions, displacement 16 17.2% 1.7% Businesses engagement in settlements 15 16.1% 1.6% National resources exploitation 1 1.1% 0.1% Human rights violations linked to settlements 3 3.2% 0.3% Total 93 47. In January 2016, the Secretary-General made a recommendation that encompasses and combines multiple aspects related to the presence of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory: "The Israeli authorities must halt and reverse the creation and expansion of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in the occupied Syrian Golan.62 In addition, Israel must immediately cease using land control mechanisms aimed at expanding the area effectively occupied by settlements, such as the designation of firing zones, archaeological parks and agricultural land. Israel must also immediately cease the exploitation of natural resources from these territories.” 63 A range of evidence was considered when assessing the implementation of this broad recommendation. The below is illustrative of the information taken into account when assessing recommendations related to settlements more generally. 48. In January 2017, the Government of Israel announced the construction of over 6,000 housing units in existing settlements. On 6 February 2017, the Knesset passed the “Settlement Regularization Bill”, retroactively legalizing Israeli settlements built on private Palestinian land. Furthermore, in March 2017, the Government announced the establishment of a new settlement in the West Bank - the first in over 20 years. 49. The recommendation calls for the cessation of land control mechanisms aimed at expanding the area occupied by settlements, including “firing zones”, archaeological parks and agricultural land. In March 2016, Israel declared “state lands” over 200 hectares of land south of Jericho.64 This process is a crucial part of Israel’s strategy aimed at expanding the land under the control of settlers, including for agricultural use.65 On 15 February 2017, the Israeli army demolished 43 Palestinian structures in Ein Ar Rashash, Ramallah governorate, located in an area designated by the Israeli military as a “firing zone”.66 50. Finally, the recommendation includes the cessation of the exploitation of natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. A United Nations Conference on Trade and Development report of September 2016 noted that Israel was extracting water above the level determined in the Oslo II Accord, and had confiscated 82% of the groundwater in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for its use in Israel and in settlements, while Palestinians needed to import over half of the water they use.67 62 The review of the implementation regarding the Occupied Syrian Golan is outside the scope of this report. 63 A/HRC/31/43, para. 67. 64 A/HRC/34/39, para. 17. 65 A/HRC/31/43, para. 3. 66 See www.ochaopt.org/content/palestinian-bedouin-community-almost-totally-demolished 67 UNCTAD/APP/2016/1*, para. 34. 13