BICOM

The United States yesterday appeared to concur with the request of European countries, including the UK, for the Israeli government to reconsider its decision on Friday to authorise the building of 3,000 units in large existing communities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and the zoning and planning of buildings in the controversial E1 area. Situated on the northern outskirts of Jerusalem, E1 is particularly sensitive as it is considered important to the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said yesterday, “We urge Israeli leaders to reconsider these unilateral decisions and exercise restraint as these actions are counterproductive and make it harder to resume direct negotiations,” while the US State Department commented, “construction there [at E1] would be especially damaging to efforts to achieve a two-state solution.”

Reaction from Washington followed a day of diplomatic activity in Europe, as Israeli ambassadors were formally rebuked in five European countries, including Israel’s Ambassador to the UK Daniel Taub formally summoned to the Foreign Office. Following the meeting, Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt said, “I set out the depth of the UK’s concern about these decisions and I called on the Israeli government to reverse them.”

However, suggestions that the UK government may recall the ambassador from Israel appeared to be downplayed. The Guardian quotes a Downing Street source this morning, which said, “We are not proposing to do that… We are not proposing to do anything further at this stage.” A Foreign Office spokesman commented, “Any decision about any other measures the UK might take will depend on the outcome of our discussions with the Israeli government and with international partners including the US and European Union.”