BERLIN – Germany on Thursday strongly criticized Israel’s plans to push ahead with the building of hundreds of new settlements in East Jerusalem, saying it would undermine efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the marketing of land for the construction of 454 homes in two East Jerusalem settlements on Tuesday, an official said, including in Ramat Shlomo, territory Palestinians want for a future state.
The United States has also harshly criticized the decision.
The Palestinian Authority condemns settlement building as a violation of international law aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Some 500,000 Israelis have settled in the West Bank and East Jerusalem among 2.4 million Palestinians. The World Court says settlements built on land Israel occupied in a 1967 war are illegal. Israel disputes this
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