The European Union (EU) slammed Saturday the Israeli decision to advance plans for 500 new housing units in Ramat Shlomo settlement illegally built in occupied Jerusalem.
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said that the Israeli decision “would affect land privately owned by Palestinians and extend the settlement northeast further encroaching on Palestinian inhabited areas.”
The policy of settlement construction and expansion illegal under international law continues to undermine the contiguity of a future Palestinian state and therefore raises questions about Israel’s stated commitment to the two-state solution she underlined.
The Israeli municipality in occupied Jerusalem approved Wednesday afternoon the construction of 500 new settlement units.
The municipality’s decision came a few days after the Israeli mayor of the city Nir Barkat vowed to exploit Donald Trump’s election as US President to escalate settlement construction.
