This refers to the story, “Israel PM heads to Berlin as settlement row grows” ( Dec. 5 ). It is fact that no concrete plans for sanctions of Palestine were brought up recently during the discussion of foreign ministers of the 27 EU states. Israel is now facing mounting international pressure over its announcement that it will build 3,000 new settlement homes, including in an area east of Jerusalem, where observers say construction could crush hopes of a viable Palestinian state. Former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Olmert recently criticized the present government of Israel for planning new settlements in the West Bank. He also said that Israel had no reason to oppose Palestine’s UN observer state membership. Rather it will be an historical mistake that will be disastrous to the life, to the people and to the future of the state of Israel.
However, Israel’s intention to push ahead with plans to build constructions in a strip of West Bank land outside Jerusalem called E1 was expressed a day after the Palestinians won UN non-member state observer status. It disheartened the whole world. It is observed that the international outcry since Israel’s latest move has been intense. The UN chief Ban Ki-moon has also said that it would represent an almost fatal blow to remaining chances of securing a two-state solution. We have learned from the several media that France, Britain, Spain, Denmark and Sweden have already summoned the Israeli ambassadors to protest the plan. The White House authorized Europe to pounce on the Israel government and to punish it.
It may be mentioned that Israeli plans for E1 have been in the works since the early 1990s but have never been implemented due to heavy pressure, largely from the United States. — Naser Mullah, Riyadh
