Egypt’s Foreign Ministry condemns Israel for undermining peace

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli ratification of building 566 new settlements in Jerusalem, describing the decision as provocative, according to a statement issued by the diplomatic institution.

It added that the continuation of Israel’s settlement activities undermines the efforts aiming to achieve the two-state solution and to resume the peace process between the Palestinian and Israeli sides to achieve fair and inclusive settlement for the Palestinian issue.

The decision to expand the Israeli settlements undermines the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the borders of June 4, 1967, stressing that the Israeli government insists to violate the international resolutions.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry stressed the need for suspending the unilateral actions adopted by the Israeli government, calling the international community for supporting both the Palestinian and Israeli sides for resuming the negotiation as soon as possible.

Israeli authorities approved building permits for 566 new homes in east Jerusalem settlements, city officials announced on Sunday.

The approvals came just two days after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, who had vowed during his election campaign to provide strong support for Israel .

"The rules of the game have changed with Donald Trump's arrival as president," the city's deputy mayor Meir Turjeman told the AFP news agency.

Turjeman said plans for 11,000 other homes in East Jerusalem were also being processed, but he did not say when they would move forward.

In December Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postpones a Jerusalem city council vote on issuing the permits after the US allowed the passing of a highly critical resolution by the United Nations Security Council.

It demanded "Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem." Netanyahu refused to back down from settlement construction, despite the December resolution, and issued a series of diplomatic retributions.