Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the decision of the Jerusalem Planning Committee regarding the construction of housing units at the settlement in East Jerusalem

November 19, 2009

The Government of Japan deplores the Jerusalem Planning Committee’s decision to approve the construction of 900 housing units at Gilo, on the south part of East Jerusalem. As it has reiterated, the Government of Japan calls on the Government of Israel to freeze settlement activities including “natural growth” in the West Bank which includes East Jerusalem.
Israel’s decision this time would hamper the efforts for realization of a comprehensive Middle East peace and the ongoing endeavors for re-launching peace negotiations.
It is incumbent on both Israel and the Palestinians to fulfill the previous obligations such as those under the Road Map. Japan strongly hopes that the peace negotiations will be resumed as soon as possible.

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