EU Presidency statement on renewed Israeli settlement activity

Press release 347/2006
6 September, 2006

The Presidency of the European Union is disturbed at the news that the Israeli Government has solicited tenders for the construction of 690 new housing units in the West Bank settlements of Ma'aleh Adumim and Beitar Illit.

The Presidency urges the Israeli government to cancel this call for tenders, and to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth of settlements, as stipulated in the Roadmap.

This planned construction threatens the viability of an agreed two-state solution. Like all settlement activity, it is contrary to international law, in particular Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states that "the Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies".

Furthermore, the Presidency finds the solicitation of the tenders in question particularly unfortunate at a time when confidence-building measures are urgently needed in the region.