Douglas Alexander on Israel and Settlements

"Building settlements on other people’s land is both illegal and wrong and the settlement decision is a body blow to hopes of a negotiated two state solution. Israel should reverse this damaging and destructive decision."

Douglas Alexander MP, Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary Courtesy: blogs.telegraph.co.uk

(LONDON Refugee News Network) - Douglas Alexander MP, Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary, said:

“If last week’s ill-judged abstention by the UK at the UN was supposed to secure continuing influence with Israel there is little evidence of that strategy working this week.

“Calling in the Israeli Ambassador won’t undo the damage done to Britain’s standing on this issue by its misguided abstention last week.

“Building settlements on other people’s land is both illegal and wrong and the settlement decision is a body blow to hopes of a negotiated two state solution. Israel should reverse this damaging and destructive decision.

“Britain should coordinate its actions with other European partners to ensure that any further steps taken help ensure that Israel complies with international law and demonstrates a commitment to peace.

“The most pressing task is to ensure that Prime Minister Netanyahu hears this message loudly and clearly when he meets Chancellor Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday.”

Source: refugeenewsnetwork.co.uk/douglas-alexander-on-israel-and-settlements/