NZ deeply concerned at Israeli settlements announcement

  • Murray McCully
Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand is deeply concerned at the announcement by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the immediate construction of 300 housing units in the settlement of Beit El and the additional approval of around 500 new housing units in East Jerusalem.

“Israel’s settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem damage efforts to negotiate a solution to a conflict which has been at the core of Middle East tensions for decades,” Mr McCully says.

“New Zealand would like to see both sides return to negotiations to agree on a two state solution allowing Israel and a Palestinian state to exist peacefully side by side.

“Announcements like this are deeply unhelpful to efforts to restart peace negotiations and undermine confidence between the parties,” Mr McCully says.