EU slams outpost legalization
EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton has condemned Israel for legalizing three 'settlements' that were established in the 1990's, and has called on Israel to 'reverse' the decision. The European Union on Wednesday stated that it is "extremely concerned" about a government panel's Monday decision to recognize three West Bank outposts as legal settlements, calling upon Israeli authorities to backtrack.I guess if you can insist that Israel reverse the results of the Six-Day War 45 years ago, you can also insist that it expel people from homes in which they have lived for 20 years. Maybe they don't teach 'adverse possession' in Property Law courses in Europe.
The EU statement is the latest in an international chorus of condemnations against the Israeli decision, as the US, UN, PA, France and Jordan have all slammed the move.
In a press statement, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said that "settlements are illegal under international law, an obstacle to peace and threaten the viability of a two-state solution."
"I am extremely concerned about the decision... in the occupied Palestinian territory. I call upon (Israeli authorities) to reverse this decision," Ashton said.
The United States on Tuesday also expressed "concerned" over the move and was seeking clarifications from Israel, according to a State Department statement.
"We are obviously concerned by the reports that we have seen. We have raised this with the Israeli government," US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. "We don't think this is helpful to the [peace] process, and we don't accept the legitimacy of continued settlement activity."
YNet adds:
"I am extremely concerned about the decision of the Israeli authorities regarding the status of the settlements of Sansana, Rachalim and Bruchin in the occupied Palestinian territory," said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.Of course, Israel did not endorse or adopt the EU statement.
"I call upon them to reverse this decision," she said in a statement.
...
"The EU has repeatedly called on Israel to end all settlement activity. Settlements are illegal under international law, an obstacle to peace and threaten the viability of a two-state solution," Ashton said.
The chief EU diplomat said the Israeli decision ran counter to the spirit of an April 11 statement by the Quartet of Middle East peacebrokers, the European Union, United States, Russia and United Nations.
The Quartet, she recalled, "expressed concern about unilateral and provocative actions, including continued settlement activity."
Meanwhile, the Syrian rebels anxiously await the arrival of 100 EU monitors who will observe the Assad regime slaughtering Syrian citizens. They are expected to arrive in about three months.
As Shy Guy always writes, 'Keep knitting Madame Defarge!'
Labels: Catherine Ashton, European Union, Judea and Samaria, Middle East quartet, settlements are legal
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:58 AM
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