EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday called the Israeli government’s approval of an additional 2610 housing units in the settlement of Givat Hamatos "extremely troubling", stressing that it comes in addition to announcements made at the end of November and Monday’s approval of 1500 units in Ramat Shlomo.
"This plan for Givat Hamatos would cut the geographic continuity between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. I strongly oppose this unprecedented expansion of settlements around Jerusalem," Ashton said in a statement.
She continued : "The EU has never been clearer than it was on 10 December in voicing its strong opposition tosettlement expansion. The EU particularly opposes the implementation of plans which seriously undermine the prospects of a negotiated resolution of the conflict by jeopardizing the possibility of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state and of Jerusalem as the future capital of two states."
She said that "in the light of its core objective of achieving the two-state solution," the EU will closely monitor the situation and its broader implications, and "act accordingly."
"The European Union calls for a bold demonstration of political will and leadership from both sides to break the current impasse and resume negotiations. The parties must engage in direct and substantial negotiations without pre-conditions in order to achieve a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ending all claims," the statement said.
Ashton’s reaction on the new Israeli construction plans came as all members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York, with the exception of the United States, publicly condemned recent Israeli settlement construction plans as "a threat to peace efforts."
In a rare move, 14 of the council’s 15 members read public statements of their views instead of seeking formal action by the council, since that likely would have been vetoed by the United States.
The UN ambassadors of four EU member states in the Council, Britain, France, Germany and Portugal, said in a joint statement that their governments "strongly oppose" the Israeli construction.
"Israel's announcements to accelerate the construction of settlements send a negative message and are undermining faith in its willingness to negotiate," they said in a statement read by British ambassador Mark Lyall Grant.
"The viability of the two-state solution, that is key for Israel's long-term security, is threatened by the systematic expansion of settlements."
Lyall Grant said the international community, and particularly the Security Council, must urgently provide for a credible framework for the resumption of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Israel has approved construction of new homes in West Bank settlements and o, Jerusalem since the UN General Assembly voted on November 29 to recognize Palestine as an observer non-member state.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Israel was on a "dangerous path". "I call on Israel to refrain from continuing on this dangerous path, which will undermine the prospects for a resumption of dialogue and a peaceful future for Palestinians and Israelis alike," he said.
"Let us get the peace process back on track before it is too late."
Russia's UN envoy, Vitaly Churkin called the Israeli construction "fraught" with risks and a threat to decades of efforts for a two-state end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "The situation could be defused should Israel reconsider the settlement constructions plans,” he said, calling for an urgent ministerial meeting of the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East - the US, EU, Russia and UN - in a bid to revive direct Israel-Palestinian talks suspended since September 2010.
But Israel's ambassador to the UN , Ron Prosor, said the new announcements were "planning and zoning" and that it could take years before the government allows the start of construction.
He questioned how a contiguous state between Gaza and the West Bank could be created without cutting Israel in two. He said settlements were "not the major hurdle to peace" and the Palestinians should return to talks without conditions.