London [UK], August 22: The British Foreign Office has summoned Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely over Tel Aviv's approval of a major settlement in the West Bank.
The move follows Israel's decision to go ahead with the E1 settlement east of Jerusalem, which would effectively cut the West Bank in two. In a joint statement on Thursday, foreign ministers from the United Kingdom, European Union and 20 countries called on Tel Aviv to reverse the decision, saying it would bring "no benefits to the Israeli people" and "risks undermining security and fuels further violence and instability."
They added: "The government of Israel still has an opportunity to stop the E1 plan going any further. We encourage them to urgently retract this plan." The E1 settlement has been under consideration by Israel for at least two decades, but has previously been prevented by pressure from the US. (dpa)
Source: Qatar Tribune
