In Israel Jerusalem authorities have approved the construction of new settlements in the Eastern part the city.
Moscow was very concerned about the news. “These acts are unacceptable for the peacemaking process in the Middle East”, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said. “They are unacceptable especially now at a very decisive moment when all efforts are aimed at resuming the Palestinian-Israeli dialogue,” he said.
In his turn White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that the decision of the Israeli authorities to approve the construction of 900 more flats in Eastern Jerusalem complicates the resumption of the peace talks. Earlier Israel rejected the US request to freeze the settlements’ construction in the Gilo district. On November 16, US representative in the Middle East George Mitchell handed the relevant message by US President Barack Obama to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
No doubt this is something new in the relations between Israel and the US. One can hardly remember a case when Israel neglected the request of the US authorities and did it so openly. But Israel has challenged not only the US. According to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, the construction of Jewish settlements at the Palestinian territories contradicts the international “road map” developed by the quartet of Mid East mediators namely, by the US, Russia, the UN and the EU, and the decision of the UN Security Council.
In the current circumstances the Palestinian authorities asked the EU to back the plan to unilaterally declare the occupied territories an independent state. But the EU rejected this initiative. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country is now chairing the EU, said that the request of the Palestinian authorities was untimely. Israel and the US made similar statements. US State Department’s spokesman Ian Kelly said Washington will support the establishment of the Palestinian independent state only on the basis of an agreement between the two countries. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that any unilateral actions of the Palestinian authorities would ruin all current agreements and might provoke Israel to make unilateral steps too.
As wee see the situation in the Middle East is becoming more and more complicated and unpredictable which arouses serious concern of the whole global community.
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