Israeli settlements

The presidency of the European Union - currently held by Sweden - released a statement on Tuesday urging Israel to refrain from "provocative actions in East Jerusalem," saying that "such actions are illegal under international law."

The Middle East quartet - the EU, US, UN and Russia - called on Israel to halt West Bank settlements at a meeting in the Italian city of Trieste last month.

The latest EU statement comes amid mounting international pressure on Israel over plans to build 20 apartments in East Jerusalem. The German government had on Monday already called on Israel to stop the project.

"We see the continued settlement activities with great concern," said Jens Ploetner, Foreign Ministry spokesman in Berlin. He warned that the building of new settlements would hamper the peace process in the Middle East.

Mounting international criticism

There has been widespread international criticism over the new settlement plans. France has summoned the Israeli ambassador in Paris to demand a halt to settlement building in East Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Tuesday.

Russia has also called on Israel to stop settlement activity. "The settlement should be stopped immediately in line with the roadmap," Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.

Criticism has also come from Washington. Since taking office, US President Barack Obama has been a strong supporter of a two-state solution and has called for an end to Jewish settlement in the Palestinian territories.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not accept that Israelis shouldn't have the right to settle anywhere within Jerusalem, as they please.

Netanyahu heads a center-right coalition government which is expected to collapse should he call off the settlement activities. The Palestinian leadership, however, has said they would only enter new peace talks if there are no further settlements in Palestinian territories.

ai/AFP/Reuters
Editor: Susan Houlton