EU repeats condemnation of settlements'' expansion

The European Union on Monday condemned Israel's announcement on construction of new Jewish settlements as a violation of international law. Israeli Minister for Construction Uri Ariel, on Sunday, invited private firms to tender for the construction of 1,200 new Jewish houses in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The decision came just three days before start of talks between Israelis and Palestinians in Washington. "We would urge both parties to show decisive leadership that would be needed for these negotiation to succeed and of course to avoid steps that undermine those negotiations," Michael Mann, spokesman for EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, told a news conference in Brussels. He reiterated the long-held EU position that "settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law and make the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict impossible." "The priority for us are that the talks go ahead this week and make progress," added Mann.