Germany concerned: Israeli settlements in West Bank

By Cuneyt Karadag

BERLIN (AA) - Germany late Friday expressed concern over Israel’s approval of thousands of new housing units for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.

"We note the plans to extend Israeli settlements in the West Bank with great concern," the country's foreign ministry said in a written statement.

In the statement, the foreign ministry said that "creating facts unilaterally further complicates future negotiations."

"Only a negotiated two-state solution can do justice to the legitimate claims of both sides," it added.

Israel on Thursday approved the construction of hundreds of new housing units for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.

According to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now, Israeli officials last year approved the construction of 6,742 new settlement units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem -- the highest number since 2013.

Some half a million Israelis currently live on more than 100 Jewish-only settlements built since Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967.