Download RBTH Daily app for free to be up to date with what’s new in Russia. Get a fresh and brief digest every day.
Follow the link to learn more
Israel’s plans to build new housing on the occupied Palestinian territory causes concerns, as actions of the kind affect resuming of talks on the Middle East settlement, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Sept. 3.
"Moscow learned with major concern the information that the Israeli authorities have decided to build 285 new houses in the Israeli settlements on the Western bank of the Jordan River and in East Jerusalem, as well as to legalize retroactively 179 houses in Ofarim, which had been built without official permissions," the ministry said.
The ministry said the fundamental approach of Russia and the international community is that actions of the kind on the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal.
"Implementation of the said Israeli projects will affect the efforts to provide conditions for resuming the peace talks on the settlement between the two countries," the ministry said.
Reports of Aug. 31 said the Israeli government had adopted new plans for housing construction for Jewish settlers on the Western bank of the Jordan River.
The quartet of international mediators (Russia, the U.S., the EU and the UN) on the Middle East settlement had criticized the actions.
Source: Tass
