Foreign Secretary condemns decision to accelerate Israeli settlements
Foreign Secretary William Hague has called on Israel to reverse the decision, and called for both sides to return to negotiations.
Speaking today the Foreign Secretary said:
鈥淚srael鈥檚 announcement to accelerate the construction of 2,000 settlements housing units, in response to the successful Palestinian application for membership of UNESCO, is a serious blow to the Quartet鈥檚 efforts to restart peace negotiations. This settlement building programme is illegal under international law and is the latest in a series of provocative and unhelpful settlement announcements. I condemn the decision to accelerate such construction.
鈥淚 am also very concerned about Israel鈥檚 decision to withhold Palestinian tax revenues. This is in no-one鈥檚 interests, least of all Israel鈥檚, since it has direct implications for the Palestinian Authority鈥檚 ability to maintain effective security in the West Bank.
鈥淲e need to see steps towards peace, not actions that divide and isolate the parties further and undermine the prospects for negotiations. We call on Israel to reverse both these decisions, and on both sides to show the courage and leadership necessary to achieve a return to negotiations鈥�.