Egypt Calls on Israel to Stop Settlement Construction
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Egyptian Foreign Ministry called on Israel to halt its settlement expansion activities in the West Bank and stop land seizure plan in Palestine.
According to a report by Qatar’s al-Sharq newspaper, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry strongly slammed the Zionist regime of Israel for seizure of Palestinian lands and the continued construction of settlements in the West Bank.
The Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman, Badr Abdel Atty, voiced concern about Israeli settlements inside the West Bank and Tel Aviv's policy of occupying Palestinians’ lands.
"Continuation of this policy will hinder peace talks and will make it impossible the establishment of an independent state of Palestine.”
The Egyptian spokesman further cautioned Israeli officials that their peace talks with Palestinians will be possible only through recognition of the 1967 borders.
Earlier in June, the former Egyptian foreign minister, who served in ousted President Mohamed Mursi’s cabinet, had also called on Israel to halt settlement activities.
The Israeli settlements are considered illegal by the UN and most of the international community. The settlement’s territories were captured by Israel in a war in 1967, and are hence seen as being subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbids construction on occupied lands.
Not only has the presence and continued expansion of these settlements been a major source of international criticism against Israel, but they are also considered one of the main obstacles to Middle East peace.
More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds.
