EU SLAMS ISRAELI PLAN TO EXPAND SETTLEMENTS

Brussels, 11 Rabi’ul Akhir 1436/1 February 2015 (MINA) – The European Union (EU) asked Israel to revoke its plan to build 450 housing units in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Federica Mogherini, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, called, in a press release on Friday, for a reversal of decisions in this regard and putting an end to settlement expansion.

Mogherini condemned Israel’s new settlement plan as a violation of the international law and a new obstacle to the peace process, warning that it would undermine the two-state solution and fuel the very tense situation on the ground, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The EU foreign policy chief also called on the Palestinians to exercise maximum restraint and avoid taking any step that could exacerbate the situation.

Peace Now organization said recently that the Israeli government had published tenders for the building of 450 housing units in different settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

New Israeli plan

The Israeli occupation authority declared its intention to build 430 new housing units in the West Bank, Israeli sources said.

According to the Earthly Jerusalem’ Observatory, Israel released new tenders to expand Israeli settlements in four different areas in West Bank.

Israel is persistent in settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories despite wide local and international criticism. (T/P008/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)