News story

Foreign Office Minister on plans for settlement building in East Jerusalem

Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt has spoken following reports that Israel is considering building 1,400 new apartments in East Jerusalem.

• From: Foreign & Commonwealth Office and The Rt Hon Alistair Burt
• Published: 17 January 2011

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

“We have always been clear that settlements are illegal and an obstacle to peace. Pushing ahead with this plan would be a deeply unhelpful move and hinder efforts to resume talks between the two parties leading to a two-state solution to this conflict, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of the two states living side by side in peace and security.”

Published 17 January 2011