British Foreign Secretary William Hague on Thursday (17/4), condemned the Israeli move recently to expand settlements in the West Bank, and confirms negotiations are the only way to peace.
"The UK condemns the decision taken by the Government of Israel to change the status of many regions throughout the unauthorized settlement outpost Netiv Haavot and creating new settlements in Al-Khalil (Hebron)," Hague said in a statement.
His remarks came after Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, Sunday (13/4), approve a family of Jewish settlers to move into a controversial building in the Old City of Hebron in the West Bank.
Israel has also announced a land area of 243 acres on the Gush Etzion settlement block in the West Bank as state land, Israeli media said.
Such a measure would allow Israel expand settlements in the block and also includes the unauthorized outpost called Nativ Haavot, which would make it "legitimate" in the middle of the announcement.
Nativ Haavot is unauthorized Jewish outpost, which was built in 2001 on private land of Palestinians and now house 50 settler.
"The settlements are not illegal and an obstacle to peace, and this decision was taken out of the ongoing effort to realize the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Hague said, as quoted by Xinhua.
The Foreign Secretary said that the only way for peace in the region is through negotiations.
The current round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, which began in July and are set to expire on April 29, stalled due to Israel's refusal to release the last group of Palestinian prisoners, expanding settlements and the Palestinian request to join the 15 international conventions and UN.
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