DHAKA: The European Union said Tuesday it has warned Israel against any new West Bank settlement construction following an upcoming Palestinian prisoner release, saying it will be held responsible for any resulting failure of the ongoing peace talks.

The warning is another sign of displeasure in Europe over Israel’s settlement building and its effect on the negotiations, which have yielded no tangible results months after they started.

In the past months, Israel has announced new construction to appease public anger over Palestinian prisoner releases carried out as part of a deal that brought Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

The EU said that if the peace talks collapse following another such announcement when a third set of prisoners is released late this month, Israel would be to blame.

The Palestinians nearly walked on the talks over the last announcement of settlement construction.

‘If these talks fail because of a new settlement announcement, Israel risks having a finger pointed at it,’ said Eyal Inbar, the EU’s acting spokesman in Israel, reports TDS.

Inbar said that the EU message was delivered to the director of Israel’s foreign ministry on Monday.

Yigal Palmor, a foreign minister spokesman, declined to comment on the private discussions.

BDST: 2010 HRS, DEC 17, 2013
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor