asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there have been further Jewish settlements in the West Bank since the Middle East conference at Annapolis, Maryland; and, if so, whether they have made any representations to the Government of Israel regarding such settlements. [HL933]

We are concerned by the announcement on 4 December by the Israeli housing ministry about new housing tenders for the Har Homa settlement in east Jerusalem. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about this new tender with the Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on 7 December. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development also raised our concerns about this issue with Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak during his recent visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 10 December. On 11 December, the EU presidency issued a declaration on behalf of the EU about the Har Homa settlement which “urges Israel to honour the commitments under the Road Map and to avoid activities that could prejudge a final status agreement on Jerusalem or undermine progress towards this goal”.

The UK continues to make clear that settlements are illegal under international law and settlement construction is an obstacle to peace. The road map makes clear that Israel should freeze all settlement construction, including the “natural growth” of existing settlements, and dismantle all outposts built since 2001.