Britain, Australia slam Israel
AUSTRALIA: Britain and Australia on Tuesday urged Israel to refrain
from settlement building on the West Bank and called for a "return to
direct talks" between Israel and the Palestinians.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Middle East peace
process had featured in Tuesday's summit with his Australian counterpart
Kevin Rudd and defence ministers Liam Fox and Stephen Smith.
"Our joint belief (is) that the parties involved should return to
direct talks and refrain from acts that undermine confidence such as
settlement building," Hague told reporters.
It follows calls from UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday for Israel to
freeze settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories,
after Israeli media reported that Israel is to approve 1,400 new settler
homes.
That push, reportedly into east Jerusalem, is in defiance of pressure
to halt settlement building that has stalled peace talks with the
Palestinians.
The Palestinians halted direct talks with Israel, brokered by the
United States, in September after Israel refused to extend a moratorium
on settlement building.
Sydney, AFP
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