BRUSSELS, April 1, 2017 (WAFA) – The European Union (EU) strongly criticized on Friday night an Israeli government decision to build a new settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories and expand others describing these moves as a threat to the two-state solution.

“The Israeli government‘s decisions on 30 March to establish a new settlement deep inside the West Bank, to issue tenders for almost 2,000 settlement units and to declare further land deep inside the West Bank as ‘state land’ all threaten to further undermine prospects for a viable two-state solution, which remains the only realistic way to fulfill the aspirations of both sides and achieve just and lasting peace on the basis of a negotiated agreement between both parties,” according to a statement by the EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

She reiterated the long-standing EU position that “all settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible.”

Mogherini called on Israel “to end all settlement activity and to dismantle the outposts erected since March 2001 in line with prior obligations,” adding, “Affirmative steps are badly needed in order to reverse the negative trends that are imperiling the two-state solution and thereby create a political climate conducive to resuming meaningful and credible negotiations. We expect declarations of intent to be followed by actions on the ground.”

M.K.