France has condemned Israel over plans to build over 500 new homes in Jewish neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, citing a recent UN resolution and the closing document of last week’s Paris peace conference in calling the move a threat to the two-state solution.
“Settlements constitute a grave threat to the two-state solution, to which the international community reiterated its commitment at the international conference in Paris on January 15,” said a Foreign Ministry spokesman.
“UN Security Council Resolution 2334 reiterated the illegality of the settlements under international law and called for it to immediately and completely halt,” he added.
The East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo, November 17, 2015. (Lior Mizrahi/Flash90)
Israel on Sunday announced it would build 566 new homes in three neighborhoods of the capital. Israel maintains that it has the right to build anywhere in East Jerusalem, which it annexed to the city shortly after capturing it.
Netanyahu reportedly told ministers on Sunday that he would remove any limits on building in East Jerusalem following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.
Israel derided both the Paris peace conference and the UN resolution as anti-Israel efforts that hardened the Palestinians’ position.
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