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EU urges Israel to reverse decision of building new housing units in West Bank

Xinhua, January 31, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union here on Friday called on Israel to reverse the decisions of building 450 new housing units in Jewish settlements in the Palestinian West Bank.

The Israeli announcements on Friday of settlement tenders, if implemented, would further undermine the viability of the two-State solution, said a statement issued by the European External Action Service.

The statement said the housing units would be illegal in international law and constitute an obstacle to peace, urging Israel to put an end to settlement expansion.

"The decisions risk inflaming the very tense situation on the ground. All sides need to exercise maximum restraint and avoid taking any decision that could exacerbate tensions," said the statement.

Israel seized West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has controlled it ever since.

The settlements are illegal under international law. Several rounds of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians reached a deadlock over the Israeli construction in the settlements. Endit