EU, UN Condemn Israel's Settlement Plans

The European Union and the United National have condemned Israeli plans to build more settlements in the occupied West Bank. 
Israel announced the plan for 2,500 more settlement homes in the West Bank on Tuesday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would build more homes in Jewish settlements "in response to housing needs". 
Following the announcement, Netanyahu declared on Twitter: "We are building - and continuing to build". 
In a statement, the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) said Israel's plans flew in the face of international objections, saying they "further seriously undermine the prospects for a viable two-state solution". 
"It is regrettable that Israel is proceeding with this policy, despite the continuous serious international concern and objections, which have been constantly raised at all levels," the EEAS said in a statement. 
Meanwhile, a UN spokesman said "unilateral actions" were an obstacle to peace based on a two-state solution. 
"For the Secretary General there is no Plan B for the two-states solution," Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said. 
"In this respect any unilateral decision that can be an obstacle to the two-state goal is of grave concern for the secretary general. There is a need for the two parties to engage in a bona fide negotiation to reach the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, two states for two people," he added. 
Palestinian officials said the plans undermined peace hopes by building on land they want for a future state. 
Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) executive committee member Hanan Ashrawi strongly denounced Tuesday's announcement. 
"Once again, the Israeli government has proved that it is more committed to land theft and colonialism than to the two-state solution and the requirements for peace and stability," she said in a statement. 
"Such a deliberate escalation of Israel's illegal settlement enterprise constitutes a war crime and the flagrant violation of international law and conventions, in particular UN Security Council resolution 2334," she added.

Source: QNA