France condemned yesterday the announcement in Israel regarding the construction of several thousand housing units in the illegal settlements of Har Homa and Givat Hamatos in occupied East Jerusalem.
A statement by the French Foreign Ministry said the “expansion of these two settlements directly undermines the viability of a future Palestinian state, as the European Union has reiterated on several occasions.”
It added, “All forms of settlement activity are illegal under international law and challenge the two-state solution on the ground. France urges the Israeli authorities to reconsider these decisions and to refrain from any unilateral measures.”
France reaffirmed that “the two-state solution, with both states living in peace and security within secure, recognized borders and with Jerusalem as the capital of both states, is the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region. It stands ready to support any effort in this direction based on agreed international parameters and coming about through negotiations between the parties.”
