The British Foreign Office slammed Israel’s decision to construct further settlement homes in southern Jerusalem’s Gilo neighbourhood, as Minister Alistair Burt cautioned that “by taking these steps, despite the international community repeatedly raising our profound concerns, the Israeli government is damaging Israel’s international reputation”.
An Israel government planning committee approved the plan to build a further 1,200 homes in Gilo Monday, which would include 930 homes to be built in the immediate future. The latest plans to build in Jerusalem as part of Israel’s commitment to building homes for all Israeli residents in its “eternal capital” comes despite international condemnation of this course of action, which the US has similarly deemed “provocative”.
“These further settlement announcements and comments deepen our worry for the region at such a crucial time, and demonstrate why we are convinced of the urgency for more positive indicators of change,” Burt added as he reiterated the UK’s calls for a concerted effort to be made to reinstate direct peace talks with the aim of negotiating a two state solution.
Relating the foreign ministry’s “appreciation for the measured response the Palestinian Leadership had been taking in response to Israel’s recent settlement announcements”, as he called for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to continue to distance himself from recent incendiary statements by rival leadership faction, the internationally-outlawed Gaza rulers Hamas, denying Israel’s legitimacy. “We utterly and unreservedly condemn the recent call for a third intifada and a suicide campaign by a Hamas official. Incitements to violence and terror are unacceptable,” he added.
Stressing “the urgency for positive indicators of change”, motivated by the crucially-timed settlement expansion announcements and inciteful comments, Burt concluded by calling on both Abbas and Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu “to show the strong leadership needed to achieve a return to negotiations for a two-state solution, which will bring a just and permanent solution to this conflict”, as he reaffirmed Britain’s hopes “that 2013 will be the ‘year of peace’ for Palestinians, Israelis and all people of the region”.
Burt also condemned Israel's decision to recognize Ariel University Center of Samaria, as an accredited university.
Israel's attorney general, Yehuda Weinstein, ruled earlier this week that there was no reason to prevent Ariel from being accredited, making it the first Israeli institution of higher learning in the West Bank to receive such a title.
The British minister said that "Ariel is beyond the Green Line in a settlement that is illegal according to international law," adding that "this decision will deepen the presence of the settlements in the Palestinian territories and will create another obstacle to peace."