A neighbourhood in Ariel, Israel.

Ynet – The four European members of the UN Security Council – France,Britain, Germany and Portugal are criticizing Israel and demanding an immediate halt to new settlement construction.

Representatives of the 14 council members stepped to the microphone outside the chamber after their monthly Mideast briefing Wednesday to denounce the Israeli settlement plans, which they warned is threatening a two-state peace settlement with the Palestinians. The council president said they did so because efforts to get all 15 members to agree on a resolution or statement had failed, almost certainly because of US opposition.

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