EU: Israel's decision for more settlements undermines peace
Palestine-Israel-European Union, Politics, 8/11/2008

The European Union said on Saturday that Israel's decision to build more settlements on Palestinian land undermines the credibility of the ME peace process, the EU says.

The French EU Presidency issued a statement on Saturday saying it is "deeply concerned by the decision by the Israeli authorities to approve the construction" of 400 more housing units in East Jerusalem.

"The construction of settlements anywhere in the Occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem is illegal under international law," the French EU Presidency statement read. "This decision serves to undermine the credibility of the ongoing peace process," it added. "Settlement activities prejudge the outcome of final status negotiations and compromise the viability of a concerted two-state solution."

Israeli Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that a committee had approved a plan first introduced in March to put up 400 housing units in Neve Yaakov neighborhood, in Arab East Jerusalem.

Previous Stories:
  Sarkozy: no Mideast peace without sharing Jerusalem   (6/23/2008)
  blockade eases on Gaza with Hamas -Israel agreement   (6/23/2008)
  Rice warns Israel on settlement expansion   (6/16/2008)

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