Top United Nations envoy for the Middle East described as “deplorable” Israel’s announcement that is has given approval to a large number of new settlement units deep inside the occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank

Top United Nations envoy for the Middle East described as “deplorable” Israel’s announcement that is has given approval to a large number of new settlement units deep inside the occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank.

In a Wednesday statement, Robert Serry, the UN Special Coordinator for Israeli-Palestinian talks, said that “during his recent visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, the Secretary-General [Ban Ki-moon] reiterated the United Nations’ well known position that settlement activity is illegal, contrary to Israel’s obligations under the Road Map and will not be recognized by the international community.”

 “The issue of settlements, which are illegal and hurt prospects for a negotiated solution, clearly has an economic dimension. Settlements and their infrastructure severely restrict access to land and natural resources by the Palestinian people,” Ban said on 6 February.

Israeli officials announced on Wednesday that more than 200 settler homes built “without a permit” by the Tel Aviv regime in the West Bank would also be “legalized.”

PLO official Saeb Erekat condemned the Shilo Israeli settlements.

Settlers from nearby Shvut Rachel also began restoring 200 homes after the civil administration legalized the outpost, Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors settlement activities in the northern West Bank, said.

Erekat told Palestine radio that Israel had chosen settlements over ‘peace’. He stressed that the Zionist entity will be held fully responsible for the failure of peace efforts.

The spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said that she is "deeply concerned by the approval on 22 February by the Israeli Civil Administration of new construction in the settlements of Shvut Rachel and Shilo as well as the retrospective approval granted for housing units already built."

The EU chief's spokesperson urged the Zionist entity to reverse its decision.

The United States said Wednesday that Israel's settlements were not "constructive" for Middle East ‘peace’. "We don't believe it's in any way constructive to getting both sides back to the negotiating table," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.