Deputy Minister Ofir Akunis (Likud) sharply criticized the European Union (EU) and the U.S. State Department on Tuesday, after both issued condemnations of Israel’s plans to declare 4,000 dunams of land in Judea, mostly in Gush Etzion, as state land. Israel will continue to work to promote settlement on its land - just as every other country in the world does, declared Akunis. “It is strange at this time, when terrorist groups of Islamic extremists slaughter innocents, behad journalists in front of the cameras and continue their journey of madness targeting the free world, what concerns foreign ministries around the world is the decision to build and develop the Gush Etzion region, which was and will remain the homeland of the Jewish people,” he added. In its statement earlier Tuesday, the EU said that “settlements are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to render the two-state solution impossible.” “The EU reiterates that it will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties,” the statement continued. In Washington, meanwhile, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki condemned the decision as well and urged Israel to reverse it. We are deeply concerned about the declaration of a large area as state land to be used for expanded settlement building, she said in a statement quoted by Reuters, echoing comments by an unnamed U.S. official on Sunday. We call on the Government of Israel to reverse this decision, she added.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 07:40:31 +0000
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