Israeli Settlement Expansion A Serious Provocation, Major Threat to Peace: EU
The EU strongly denounced the move as a deliberate provocation that endangers regional stability and the prospects for peace.
In a sharp statement issued on Friday, the EU demanded that the Israeli regime immediately stop the controversial E1 settlement project.
European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni highlighted that setting a tender deadline for 3,401 housing units under the E1 plan and advancing the construction of the so-called "Sovereignty Road" constitute "a serious provocation.
The bloc expressed deep concern over additional Israeli settlement plans in Atarot and Nahalat Shimon in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds.
El Anouni stated that Israel’s settlement policy represents "an obstacle to peace, carries the risk of further instability in the West Bank, displacement of thousands of Palestinians, fragmentation of the West Bank, and encourages further actions by violent settlers."
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"The EU urges the Government of Israel to immediately reverse the expansion of settlements, which are illegal under international law, following months of acceleration and intensification of approvals of new settlement plans in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem (al-Quds)," he said.
The EU further insisted that Israel must fulfill its obligations under international law and ensure the protection of the Palestinian population in the occupied territories.
Source: Agencies
