US Secretary of State John Kerry has urged Palestinians “not to react adversely” to Israel’s announcement of new settlement building, stressing the need to return to the negotiating table.
With a fresh peace dialogue in its early stages after a three-year hiatus, the approval of almost 1,200 housing units in annexed east Jerusalem and elsewhere in the West Bank on Sunday infuriated Palestinians.
The plan was swiftly followed by Israel announcing it would release 26 veteran Palestinian prisoners ahead of a resumption of peace talks Wednesday in Jerusalem.
As some Israeli ministers criticised the government’s prisoner release, Palestinians denounced the settlement plan, which Washington and the European Union said it was illegal and detrimental to peace efforts.
The last peace talks in 2010 broke down on the issue of settlement building.
Kerry said he had put in a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who underwent surgery at the weekend, and that he expected to speak to him very soon
Kerry, on a trip to Colombia on Monday, sought to neutralise the atmosphere in the Middle East, noting that the settlement plans were “to some degree expected,” and calling for both sides to resolve their major issues.