EU slams Israel over settlements, Palestine

EU foreign ministers on Monday issued a harsh critique of Israel, saying the gathering pace of settlement-building, settler extremism, and ill-treatment of Palestinians threaten a two-state solution. "The EU expresses deep concern about developments on the ground which threaten to make a two-state solution impossible," the bloc's 27 ministers said in a statement issued during talks in Brussels. "The viability of a two-state solution must be maintained," the three-page European Union statement added. Reiterating that settlements are illegal under international law, the ministers notably condemned "the marked acceleration" of settlement building since the end of a 2010 moratorium and expressed "deep concern" over settler extremism and incitement in the occupied West Bank. They also voiced concern over evictions and the demolition of Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem "and the prevention of peaceful Palestinian cultural, economic, social or political activities." Turning to the so-called Area C zone of the occupied West Bank, the statement underlined "the worsening living conditions" of the Palestinian population in general. The ministers' stand came on the heels of a damaging report by NGOs alleging that Israel last year demolished dozens of Palestinian homes, water cisterns and farm buildings built with European funds. In Area C, Israel has placed "serious limitations" on the Palestinian authority's ability to promote economic development, the statement said. Israel has full civilian and security control in the area. Saying the future of Area C was critical to a future Palestinian state because this was its main land reserve, the EU urged Israel to halt demolitions and simplify the granting of building permits. "The EU will continue to provide financial assistance for Palestinian development