The Federal Government is deeply concerned about the Israeli Government’s announcement that it intends to construct 5000 new housing units in Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem. The new housing units would further divide occupied East Jerusalem from the West Bank and thus undermine chances of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state as part of a negotiated two-state solution.

The Federal Government therefore again calls on the Israeli Government to step back from its plans to construct housing units in Har Homa and Givat Hamatos in occupied East Jerusalem and to stop settlement activity in contravention of international law in the occupied territories. We refer in this regard to UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which reaffirms this assessment under international law. The Federal Government takes this opportunity to reiterate the fact that it will only recognise amendments to the lines of 4 June 1967, including those with regard to Jerusalem, that are agreed by the parties through negotiations.