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UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg called settlement construction "deliberate vandalism." It prevents peace and Palestinian self-determination.
A French parliamentary report accused Israel of "apartheid" policies.
A "surge in settlement planning" makes things worse. East Jerusalem is occupied territory. It's illegally annexed.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor dismissed the EU report. He called it "unpleasant background noise." Without teeth, he's right. Maybe later. Not now.
On February 27, Lebanon's Al Akhbar headlined "EU urges sanctions against Israel," saying:
Its Jerusalem Report 2012 said settlement construction prevents Palestinian self-determination and peace. Nearly two dozen EU diplomats urged efforts to block Israeli settlements "in and near Jerusalem."
EU nations comprise Israel's largest trading partner. They account for about a third of its trade. Their report calls settlements "systematic, deliberate and provocative."
It recommended member states "prevent, discourage and raise awareness about problematic implications of financial transactions, including foreign direct investments, from within the EU in support of settlement activities, infrastructure and services."Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
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