Europe

Europe

France slams Israel’s settlement expansion plan

05 August 2011 21:58 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. France on Friday slammed Israel’s construction plan of some 900 new homes in East Jerusalem, urging Israeli authorities to reconsider the decision, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"France condemns the decision of the Israeli Interior Ministry to authorize construction of 900 new houses in Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem," said Christine Fages, deputy spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry.

Israel’s Interior Ministry approved Thursday the construction of more than 900 new homes in Har Homa, a neighborhood in southern East Jerusalem occupied by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war.

"This new decision further jeopardizes the possibility of a negotiated solution, which should enable Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security," the spokesperson added.

"We call on Israel to reconsider this decision, whose implementation would increase tensions and more difficulties to resume negotiations between the two parties," she continued.

France, an active mediator in Israeli-Palestinian disputes, has voiced its readiness to organize an international conference to revive the stalked peace process in September, prior to the UN annual meeting, when the Palestinians are planning to apply for recognition of a Palestinian state.