Australia Summons Israeli Envoy over Settlements
Australia Tuesday joined Britain and France in summoning the Israeli ambassador to convey its "grave concern" over plans to build new settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr said the Israeli proposal, and plans to withhold tax revenue from the Palestinian Authority, "enormously complicate the prospects for resuming negotiations between the two sides.”
"Australia has long opposed all settlement activity," he added.
"Such activity threatens the viability of a two-state solution without which there will never be security in Israel."
Israel, whose settlements on occupied or annexed Palestinian land have long been a thorn in the side of peace efforts, has refused to back down.
Its move is seen as payback for the Palestinians winning non-member observer state status at the United Nations on Thursday.
Some of the 3,000 homes are to be built in a corridor of land called E1, an area of the occupied West Bank that runs between the easternmost edge of annexed east Jerusalem and an existing Israeli settlement, Maaleh Adumim.
"Israel's reported decision to unfreeze planning of the area known as E1 is especially counter-productive," said Carr.
"Australia has also conveyed these concerns to the Israeli authorities in Jerusalem."
Britain, France, Denmark, Spain and Sweden have all summoned Israeli ambassadors to express deep concern, while U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the plans a "fatal blow" to the two-state solution.
Source: Agence France Presse
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