Solana holds Israel responsible for violating the Roadmap

The European Union's foreign policy chief stressed that Israel is breaching the international community's Roadmap peace plan by expanding its biggest settlement in the occupied West Bank.

In a statement issued late Thursday the EU's Javier Solana expressed his concern after the Israeli decision to issue building permits for the project in Maaleh Adumim settlement.

"This decision contravenes the commitment of the other parties to abstain from any unilateral measures that may affect the finial settlement as the quartet committee called upon in London last March," Solana added.

The EU expected Israel to respect its obligations under the Roadmap peace plan which includes to freeze settlement building in the Palestinian territories.