<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[EU says razing of al-Quds hotel &#8216;illegal&#8217;]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><span id="ctl00_body_spnDetail"></p>
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<div id="divNewsDatetime">PressTV &#8211;  Sun Jan 9, 2011 9:43PM</div>
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<p><img src="https://i2.wp.com/previous.presstv.ir/photo/20110109/tarapour20110109211753060.jpg" alt="" width="450px" height="300px" /></p>
<div id="divImageDesc">Bulldozers tear down Shepherd Hotel in Sheikh Jarrah.</div>
<div id="divLead">The  European Union has strongly condemned the demolition of a historic  hotel in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) to make way for an illegal settlement  complex.</div>
<p>&#8220;I strongly condemn this morning&#8217;s demolition of the Shepherd Hotel  and the planned construction of a new illegal settlement,&#8221; EU foreign  policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement on Sunday.</p>
<p>She reminded that the settlements are &#8220;illegal&#8221; under international  law, adding that &#8220;It undermines trust between parties and constitutes an  obstacle to peace.&#8221;</p>
<p>Israeli bulldozers destroyed the hotel compound in East al-Quds to  build 20 new settler units on the occupied Palestinian land, defying  international calls for putting an end to Tel Aviv&#8217;s demolitions.</p>
<p>The latest Israeli demolition in the illegally annexed city comes as  Palestinian Authority (PA) leaders say they will not return to direct  talks unless Israel stops all settlement construction.</p>
<p>The PA has also planned to submit to the United Nations Security  Council a resolution condemning what they have called gradual land  grabs.</p>
<p>Tel Aviv is planning to build the new settlement units in the Arab neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.</p>
<p>Ashton reiterated that &#8220;the EU does not recognize&#8221; the annexation of  East al-Quds by Israel and expressed concern for recent violence in the  West Bank, amid escalating Israeli-Palestinian tension.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, British Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said that  &#8220;the British Government reaffirms its strong, long-standing opposition  to the creation of this new illegal settlement in occupied East al-Quds  and condemns today&#8217;s demolition in Sheikh Jerrah.&#8221;</p>
<p>The establishment and expansion of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are &#8220;illegal,&#8221; said Burt.</p>
<p>&#8220;We see this matter as extremely dangerous,&#8221; said Hatem Abdel Qader,  the Palestinian official who oversees East al-Quds affairs for acting  Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas.</p>
<p>FTP/AGB/MGH</span> <span id="ctl00_body_spnRelated"></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.presstv.ir/detail/159400.html">PressTV &#8211; EU says razing of al-Quds hotel &#8216;illegal&#8217;</a>.</p>
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