Al Jazeera.
A defiant Israel has rejected a wave of American and
European condemnations over plans to build thousands of new homes in
east Jerusalem and West Bank settlements, vowing to press forward with
the construction in the face of widespread international opposition.
The UK, France, Spain, Denmark and Sweden on Monday summoned Israeli
ambassadors in their respective countries to protest Israel's plans to
build more settler homes.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office said Israel would continue
to stand up for its interests "even in the face of international
pressure, and there will be no change in the decision taken".
The announcement from Netanyahu's office was likely to deepen a rift
that has emerged between Israel and some of its closest allies following
the UN's recognition of a Palestinian state last week.
Russia and Germany have also expressed opposition to the building of
additional settlements, and the White House issued a statement urging
the "Israeli leader to reconsider their unilateral decisions".
The official twitter-account of Russia's ministry of foreign affairs
said that, "Israeli construction on Palestinian territories occupied in
1967 is illegal, unrecognised and condemned by Russia and
internationally."
Media reports on Monday also said France and Britain were considering recalling their ambassadors to Israel over the plans.
