Israel's ambassador to London was summoned to the Foreign Office today amid widespread condemnation of plans for more settlements near east Jerusalem.
In a sign of the alarm at Israel’s actions, Britain is considering even tougher action, including withdrawing the UK’s ambassador in Tel Aviv, if the housing developments go ahead. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned that the new homes would deal “an almost fatal blow” to peace hopes.
Building in the area known as E1 could sever the link between the West Bank and east Jerusalem, the sector of the holy city the Palestinians claim for a future capital.
Foreign Secretary William Hague joined US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in condemning the plan, describing it as “illegal” and saying it cast doubts on Israel’s commitment to achieving peace.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We deplore the recent Israeli government decision to build 3,000 new housing units and unfreeze development in the E1 block. This threatens the viability of the two-state solution. We have called on the Israeli government to reverse this decision.”
Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt told Israeli ambassador Daniel Taub this morning of the “depth of the UK’s concerns”.
Summoning the Israeli ambassador is a very rare step. Usually such action is taken over disputes with nations with which Britain has strained relations such as Iran, Argentina and Syria.
Britain, the US, the UN and other European nations are in talks over how to respond to the Israeli moves.
The Haaretz newspaper in Israel, citing senior European diplomats, reported that Britain and France could recall their ambassadors in protest.
Officials in London, however, said that no decisions had been made. The announcement on more settlements by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was widely seen as a reaction to last week’s vote at the United Nations General Assembly recognising the Palestinians as a “non-member observer state”.
Mr Hague had faced strong criticism at home for refusing to back the Palestinians’ bid for enhanced recognition at the UN, with Britain instead choosing to abstain.
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He argued that it would simply antagonise the Israelis, making the prospects of achieving progress in the peace process even more remote.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas returned triumphantly to the West Bank yesterday, receiving a boisterous welcome from thousands of cheering supporters at a rally celebrating the vote.
An Israeli decision to cut off a cash transfer to the financially troubled Palestinian Authority failed to put a damper on the celebrations.
The UN General Assembly last week overwhelmingly endorsed an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, territories Israel captured in the 1967 war. Mr Netanyahu rejects a return to Israel’s 1967 lines.
