EU High Representative Josep Borrell warned on Sunday that planned housing projects in the southern Jerusalem al-Quds area could prevent the future formation of a Palestinian state.
He described the sparsely populated Jerusalem neighborhood as an ‘illegal’ settlement and said he was ‘worried’ by the Israeli regime’s plans to build more housing in the area, according to the Israeli website Arutz Sheva.
“I am deeply worried by the Israeli authorities’ decision to open the bidding process for the construction of housing units for an entirely new settlement at Givat Hamatos,” said Borrell.
“This is a key location between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. Any settlement construction will cause serious damage to the prospects for a viable and contiguous Palestinian State.”
“The EU has repeatedly called on Israel to end all settlement activity, and to dismantle outposts erected since March 2001. It remains the EU’s firm position that settlements are illegal under international law.”
The Zionist regime is reportedly planning to build a total of 2,600 units for the first stage of the Givat HaMatos project.
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