The European Union condemns Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem and calls on the Jewish state to reverse the decision, the EU foreign affairs chief said on Wednesday.
The European Union "condemns the decision by the government of Israel to build new housing units in east Jerusalem," Catherine Ashton said in a statement.
"Israel should reverse this decision," she added.
The announcement of the new housing project appeared to the background of the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
The Israeli construction plans "undermine current efforts for restarting peace negotiations, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible," Ashton said.
Jewish settlements on Palestinian territories remain the main obstacle to reviving peace talks with Israel. The Palestinian government has agreed to hold indirect talks mediated by the United States after a 15-month break.
"The EU calls upon the Israeli authorities to fulfill all their commitments and obligations vis-a-vis the peace process and to refrain from unilateral decisions and actions that may jeopardize the final status negotiations," Ashton added.
Israel declared Jerusalem to be its territory after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. But according to international law, these territories are considered occupied. Under the internationally agreed roadmap for Middle East peace, Israel is obliged to freeze all settlement construction activity since 2001 in the Palestinian territories.
Israel is also set to build 112 housing units in the West Bank.
BRUSSELS, March 10 (RIA Novosti)
