EU Condemns Israel's Approval of 463 Housing Units in Israeli Settlements Across West Bank

Rasa - The European Union released a statement on Friday condemning an Israeli decision on Wednesday to approve plans for 463 new housing units in several Israeli settlements, 179 units of which have already been constructed in the occupied West Bank and were retroactively approved by Israeli authorities.

News ID: 423173

Date: 03 September 2016 - 16:23

RNA - The EU reiterated its opposition to Israel’s settlement policy and urged authorities to freeze any expansion of existing settlements in the West Bank, highlighting that since January 2016 Israeli authorities have promoted or retroactively legalized 2,706 additional units for Israeli settlements, Ma'an news agnecy reported.

Referring to the Quartet report published in July, the EU once again emphasized that such settlement activities has served to undermine prospects for peace, while eroding any possibility of a two-state solution.

According to Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now, the Civil Administration’s High Planning Committee validated plans for 20 housing units in the settlement of Givat Zeev, 30 in Bet Arye, while 179 housing units were retroactively approved in Ofarim. The group added that plans for 234 units in the settlement of Elqana were being discussed for depositing.

Israel has come under harsh criticism for a spike in illegal settlement activity in recent months, with plans for thousands of housing units moving forward in various stages in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

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