RAMALLAH – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the European Union (EU) expressed deep concern on Israel's announcement of further settler homes in Palestinian territories. OIC Secretary General Iyad Madani expressed his strong condemnation of the decision taken by the Israeli occupation authorities to approve the construction of 1,400 colonial settlement units in the West Bank including the occupied City of Holy Quds, stressing that the Israeli colonial settlement activities are illegal, in blatant violation of the resolutions of international legitimacy, and susceptible to undermine all chances of progress in the peace process and the two-state solution. In a press statement, the OIC Secretary General called on the international community to assume its responsibility and take a firm stand to put an end to the Israeli colonial settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories including the City of Holy Quds. Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, said in a statement, Saudi Gazette received a copy of which: “I was deeply concerned to hear the latest announcement by the Israeli authorities to advance settlement plans once more in the West Bank including East Jerusalem.” Ashton said that “the settlements are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make the two-State solution impossible.” “On 16 December, the 28 Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the European Union unanimously warned against actions that undermine the current negotiations and deplored Israel's continuous expansion of settlements. I call on Israel to stop all settlement activities,” she added. The EU's official said that “the current peace talks represent a unique opportunity for both Israelis and Palestinians. The EU is ready to provide its full support to a peace agreement. At this delicate moment of the negotiation, I call on all the parties to act now to build trust – not undermine it – and to work together for a lasting, just and final settlement of the conflict.” On Friday, Israel unveiled plans to build more than 1,800 new settler homes in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank. The anti-settlement Israeli watchdog Peace Now said that the Israeli Housing Ministry announced the plans for 1,076 units in annexed Jerusalem and 801 in the West Bank. The move comes a week after US Secretary of State John Kerry visited the region in his latest effort to push Israeli and Palestinian leaders towards an elusive peace deal. Kerry has paid 10 trips to the region this year, initially expressing confidence that a permanent peace accord, providing for a Palestinian state alongside Israel, could be wrapped up by the end of April. More recently, he has been pushing the less ambitious “framework” idea. The goal is for the framework, or series of guidelines, to address all core issues, including borders between Israel and a future Palestinian state, Palestinian refugees and conflicting claims to the holy city of Jerusalem.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that Palestinians won't accept any deal that doesn't include East Jerusalem as capital of a future Palestinian state. “We don't love death, but we welcome martyrdom if it happens,” Abbas declared. “We will march to Jerusalem in the millions, as free people and heroes.” Abbas also reaffirmed his refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. He was speaking during a meeting at the Muqata'a Presidential compound in Ramallah with hundreds of Jerusalemites. “This is a story that we have heard only in the last two years. We won't recognize and accept the Jewishness of Israel. We have many excuses and reasons that prevent us from doing so. We are asking for the 1967 borders.” With regard to the current peace talks with Israel, Abbas said the negotiations would continue only for nine months (ending in late April). “After that, we are free to do what we want,” he said. “The talks are limited to this period.”
