Israel: Britain condemns new Israeli settlement units

The British government condemned Israeli proposals for additional settlement housing units in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem on Thursday. “The UK condemns the Israeli authorities’ decision to issue tenders for a further 323 settlement units in East Jerusalem,” said Minister of State for Middle East Affairs Tobias Ellwood in a statement. “This follows recent development of plans for 770 new units in the Jerusalem suburbs.”

Settlement activity is “counterproductive” added Ellwood. “As set out in the Quartet report, this undermines progress towards a two-state solution.”

Notably, the British MP pointed out that the Israeli announcement “comes on the back of an alarming increase in demolitions of Palestinian houses throughout 2016, including in East Jerusalem.” He added, “These steps are the latest examples of what seems to be an acceleration of a systematic policy of illegal settlement expansion and demolition of Palestinian property.”

Noting the international rejection of Israeli settlements, Ellwood concluded his statement by saying, “Along with our international partners, we call on Israel to halt all demolitions and settlement activities.”

Read more: Britain condemns new Israeli settlement units – Middle East Monitor

Middle East - srael: In pictures: Bittersweet election win for Arab Israelis

Celebrations at the Joint List’s headquarters over becoming the third-largest political force in Israel after Tuesday’s elections were muted by concern over the re-election of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the prospect of business as usual.

By winning 14 seats in the new parliament, the Joint List alliance of three Arab-Israeli parties and Hadash (the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality), a Jewish-Arab leftist party, has nevertheless achieved its goal of becoming a significant political force in the country.

"It's the end of the dream for Netanyahu and [Foreign Minister Avigdor] Lieberman of an Israel without Arabs. With the results from this evening we are now clearly present on the political map of the country," Imad Abu Ahmad, an architect and a Hadash activist, told FRANCE 24 in the great hall of Abu Maher in Nazareth.

The Joint List's new political weight in the 120-seat Knesset should allow this formerly marginalised community to advance its two main goals: to establish a real equality between Jewish and Arab citizens in Israel and the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank.

Read more: Middle East - In pictures: Bittersweet election win for Arab Israelis - France 24

Middle East: US slams Israel's decision to expand settlements

 The White House  and the State Department said on Friday a new Israeli settlement expansion plan was "counterproductive" and could make it harder to bring Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

"We reiterate our longstanding opposition to settlements and East Jerusalem construction and announcements," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland reiterated this position, adding: "We're going to be evenhanded in our concern about any actions that are provocative, any actions that make it harder to get these two parties back to the table."

Israel plans to build thousands of new homes for its settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, an Israeli official said earlier, defying a U.N. vote that implicitly recognized Palestinian statehood there.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conservative government had authorized the construction of 3,000 housing units and ordered "preliminary zoning and planning work for thousands" more.

Read more: US slams Israel's decision to expand settlements - World News