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Belgium concerned over Israel's large home-building plan in occupied territory

Xinhua, December 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders on Thursday expressed deep concern over the re-launch by Israeli authorities of a project to build 500 new dwellings in occupied territory near Ramat Shlomo, East Jerusalem.

The new constructions, which would be partly carried out on private land owned by Palestinians, would further separate East Jerusalem from the West Bank, seriously jeopardizing the prospect of Jerusalem becoming the capital of the two states: Israel and Palestine, according to a statement by Belgian foreign ministry.

Belgium insists that the settlement policy as carried out by Israel is illegal under international law. It constitutes an obstacle to peace and endangers the possibility of a two-state solution, which remains the sole solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Belgium underlines that the continuing settlement expansion calls into question Israel's commitment in favor of a negotiated agreement with the Palestinians. Endit