Oded Revivi
Oded ReviviYoni Kempinski

The YESHA (Judea and Samaria) Council slammed the European Union's harsh condemnation of the recent approval of new housing units in Judea and Samaria.

YESHA Council Chief Foreign Envoy Oded Revivi said in a statement: "As the Palestinian Authority cosies up with Hamas, all the European Union can focus on is the building of a few hundred homes for Jews in Judea. Had the European diplomats actually visited our towns and cities in Judea and Samaria, they would have learned that we are the key to building a peaceful future, every additional building equals opportunity and progress for everyone in the region."

1,292 housing units for Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria were advanced Tuesday, including the long-awaited 296 housing units in Beit El. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu first promised to construct the units in Beit El five years ago.

The EU condemned the construction announcement, stating that the new housing units would "severely jeopardize the contiguity and viability of a future Palestinian state."

"The European Union has requested clarifications from Israeli authorities and conveyed the expectation that they reconsider these decisions, which are detrimental to ongoing efforts towards meaningful peace talks," the EU said in a statement.

The EU further said that Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria were "illegal under international law," although it has been shown that this is not the case.