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EU urges Israel to revise plans for constructing 450 West Bank settlement units

srael’s decisions "risk inflaming the very tense situation on the ground," the EU says

BRUSSELS, January 31. /TASS/. Israel should revise its decision on the construction of 450 settlement units in the West Bank that are illegal in the international law and constitute "an obstacle to peace," the European Union has said in a statement.

"Today's announcements of settlement tenders, if implemented, will further undermine the viability of the two-State solution," the EU statement reads, also stressing that "Israel should reverse these decisions, thereby putting an end to settlement expansion."

Israel’s decisions "risk inflaming the very tense situation on the ground," the EU says. "All sides need to exercise maximum restraint and avoid taking any decision that could exacerbate tensions," it reads.

Israel earlier officially announced tenders for the construction of 450 settlement units in the West Bank, triggering a fierce reaction of the Palestinian authorities. In 2010, a similar step disrupted the peace negotiations between the parties.

The international community calls on Israel to stop building the settlements saying that such a move hampers the effort towards resolving the conflict on the basis of a "two states for two peoples" principle.