Israel setting up obstacles to harm peace bid: Palestine

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday that Israel is putting obstacles on the ground, ahead of the upcoming visit to Israel by US Presidential Advisor Jason Greenblatt.

The ministry said in an emailed press statement that "the Israeli government continues to implement its settlement schemes aiming at more Palestinian land grab, unravelling preliminary measures and bulldozing operations to bailiff thousands of new settlement units in occupied Jerusalem".

The ministry denounced the settlement activity "that is aimed at destroying the two state solution", reported Xinhua news agency.

Palestinian sources said that Israeli authorities have approved construction of settlement units in Palestinian towns of East Jerusalem and open new roads connecting settlements to one another, cutting off geographical contiguity of Palestinian territories.

On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeinah said that the resumed communique between the Palestinian leadership and the US administration "represents a clear message that the resolution (of the conflict) lies in the international, Arab and Palestinian legitimacy that are not illusions or projects irrelevant to the unravelling course of events".

World powers, including the US, have condemned the Israeli settlement activity, which is considered one of the main disputes between Palestinians and Israel.

--IANS

soni/dg