Norway deplores Israel’s building plans for East Jerusalem

“Norway deplores Israel’s plans to increase building activity in East Jerusalem,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Israeli authorities have presented plans to build nearly 700 housing units in East Jerusalem. The building activity will take place on occupied territory, and must therefore be viewed as illegal under international law. The international community has never recognised the annexation of East Jerusalem in 1967.

“The question of the future status of Jerusalem is crucial to the peace process and negotiations on a lasting peace settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. As Norway has said a number of times before, building activity of the kind that is now planned serves only to hamper and undermine the possibility of re-starting negotiations on a lasting two-state solution. It is still essential that no unilateral actions are taken that can lead to further escalation of the conflict,” Mr Støre commented.