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EU doing nothing to stop illegal Israeli settlements: Journalist

Friday, 24 August 2018 10:10 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 24 August 2018 10:13 AM ]

A picture taken on April 14, 2016 shows a partial view of the Israeli settlement of Givat Zeev near the West Bank city of Ramallah. (Photo by AFP)

The European Union has no power to pressure the Israeli regime to stop building illegal settlements on the occupied Palestinian terroristies, says a commentator.

Richard Silverstein, journalist and political commentator, told Press TV on Friday that “the EU speaks words that sound good but does nothing."

"It seems toothless,” he added.

Israel’s plans for the construction of more than 1,000 new settler units in the occupied West Bank drew ire on Thursday from the EU, which has strongly opposed Tel Aviv’s settlements program and called it an obstacle to peace.

Silverstein said the EU has really no power to back its words up with any sort of action.

“So, Israel is going to continue to build these settlements and it is going to continue to ethnically cleanse Palestine,” he said.

Israel has stepped up its illegal settlement construction on the occupied Palestinian land in blatant violation of international law amid international community’s inaction as well as the West’s all-out support.

About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since Tel Aviv's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.