Egypt joins critics of Israeli decision to build new settler units

Egypt, one of the two Arab countries that have public diplomatic relations with the illegal Zionist entity, has censured Tel Aviv’s recent decision to construct several hundred new illegal settler units in the occupied Palestinian lands.

In a statement on Thursday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry called the Israeli decision an “escalation” and said it would undermine efforts aimed at resolving the conflict between Palestinians and the Zionists.

“The Israeli escalation is unjustified and incomprehensible, particularly because it coincides with regional and international efforts aimed at encouraging Israelis and Palestinians to build an environment of trust in order to resume negotiations,” the statement read.

On Sunday, Zionist regime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Military Affairs Avigdor Lieberman — both known for their hawkish views — approved some 800 new settler units in East al-Quds and the West Bank.

The decision has been condemned by much of the international community, including the United States, which is considered Israel’s main ally.

On Tuesday, US State Department spokesman John Kirby said the plan would “be the latest step in what seems to be a systematic process of land seizures, settlement expansions and legalizations of outposts that is fundamentally undermining the prospects for a two-state solution.”

Also on Tuesday, the 28-member European Union (EU) condemned the Israeli decision, calling the construction of the new units “illegal under international law.”

SS