Egypt condemned the approval by the Israeli occupation authorities of the decision to build 780 new settlement units in the West Bank and considered it a new violation of international legitimacy decisions.
Ahmed Hafez Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed in a statement on Monday his country’s total rejection of the continuation of settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem.
He also expressed Egypt’s concern over what these activities represent in terms of undermining the possibility of achieving the two-state solution.
These decisions also challenge the current efforts aimed at advancing the peace process and resuming the negotiations between Palestine and Israel Hafez underlined.
For his part European Union (EU) spokesman Peter Stano said that Israel’s recent decision to proceed with the plans to approve the construction of nearly 800 new settlement units in the West Bank contravenes international law and undermines the prospects for a two-state solution.
The EU in a statement issued on Sunday called on the Israeli government to suspend the ongoing process of building housing units for a new settlement in Givat Hamatos.
Stano stressed the EU’s firm position that settlements are illegal under international law. The EU renewed its call upon both parties to avoid unilateral steps that could undermine the two-state solution.
He called on the Israeli government to reverse these decisions to rebuild confidence between the two parties.
