LONDON - Britain expressed concern Monday at Israeli plans to build new settlements in the West Bank, saying it had told the Jewish state it was "unhelpful" with the peace process at a delicate stage.
"We are concerned by reports that Israel plans to build in the settlement of Givat Zeev," the Foreign Office in London said in a statement after Israel announced plans at the weekend to build hundreds of new housing units.
Palestinian officials said it would shatter efforts to relaunch the peace process that has been stagnant since it was revived in late November.
The British foreign ministry statement stressed that the settlement plans were "unhelpful particularly when Israelis and Palestinians should be focusing on full implementation of their obligations under phase one of the roadmap, which include freezing all settlement activity, including natural growth."
"As the foreign secretary (David Miliband) has recently stated, the United Kingdom believes that all Israeli settlements anywhere in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law.
"We believe they are a serious impediment to a negotiated two-state solution," the statement said.
Meanwhile on Monday, the authorities in Jerusalem announced plans to build a new Jewish settlement in the annexed eastern part of the city, sparking further condemnation.
phz/mt/ag
03/10/2008 16:09 GMT