British minister condemns Israel settlement construction in Jerusalem

Britain’s minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, has condemned the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s announcement approving the construction of over 900 new housing units in the settlement of Har Homa (Jabal Abu Ghneim) in Jerusalem.

In a media statement published by the press section of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Mr Burt said, “I condemn yesterday’s announcement by the Government of Israel to approve the construction of over 900 housing units which will expand significantly the illegal Settlement of Har Homa in East Jerusalem.”

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He added, “Unilateral actions such as this undermine international efforts to build lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians and make the two-state solution harder to achieve. At a time when Israel’s friends are working to restart negotiations, this decision is deeply concerning.”