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“I condemn the decision of the Israeli Government to build 277 housing units in the illegal West Bank settlement of Ariel, 16 kilometres inside the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” said Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham.
“Israel has again ignored the calls of the international community to refrain from actions which make a return to negotiations more difficult,” Belliingham warned.
“These repeated actions, illegal under international law, undermine confidence and threaten a two state solution,” he said but there was no indication of summoning the Israeli ambassador to make a formal diplomatic protest.
Last Friday, Foreign Secretary William Hague stepped up criticism of Israel´s belligerence when issuing a condemnation of its decision to expand illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.
´I condemn yesterday’s news that the Government of Israel is advancing plans for over 4,000 more East Jerusalem settlement housing units. This comes a week after the approval of over 900 housing units in Har Homa,” Hague said last week.
“I am concerned that Israel has ignored the international community’s calls for an end to this settlement action,” said Hague, while accusing the Zionist regime of “illegally changing the situation on the ground.”
The condemnations come after the UK government expressed concern earlier this month at the latest Israeli killing of Palestinians near Ramallah in the West Bank on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
End.
Last Updated: 17 August 2011
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