US Expresses Deep Concern over Israeli Settlement Activity

Washington, 30 Dzulqa’dah 1437/02 September 22016 (MINA) – The US expressed deep concern over increased settlement activity in the West Bank and spoke out against Israel’s policy of retroactively approving them.

“We are particularly troubled by the policy of retroactively approving unauthorized settlement units and outposts that are themselves illegal under Israeli law,” KUNA quoted State Department Spokesperson John Kirby as saying to reporters.

He added, “These policies have effectively given the Israeli government a green light for the pervasive advancement of settlement activity in a new and potentially unlimited way”.

From Paris the Kuwaiti news agency reported that France while stating its “extreme” concerns at Israeli settlement growth, the European country Thursday condemned Israel for approving new plans to build hundreds of settler housing units in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry also condemned backdating of permission for 200 other illicit housing units in the West Bank that were previously illegal under Israeli law.

“These decisions bring to 2,500 the number of housing units concerned by settlement-building plans since the beginning of the year and (these decisions) are extremely worrying,” the French statement indicated.

“Settlement building is illegal with regard to international law and undermines the two-State solution,” Paris added.

Israel has consistently ignored calls from the international community to halt settlement-building and expansion of existing entities in Jerusalem and the West bank.

In its most recent report this summer, the international Quartet said that settlements posed a grave danger to prospects for peace and told Israel it should stop this policy.

The Palestinians say that settlement-building is the major obstacle to resuming talks with Israel and accuses the Israelis of a land grab that would prejudice the establishment and functioning of a future Palestinian State. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)