Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the construction of 5,000 new housing units in East Jerusalem. The new settler homes will be built in Givat Hamatos and Jabal Abu Ghneim (also known as Har Homa) settlements. Both are located in one of the few remaining strips of land connecting East Jerusalem with the Palestinian town of Bethlehem, thus isolating Jerusalem from the West Bank. Netanyahu’s announcement, 11 days before the Israeli legislative elections, sparked criticism in Palestine and Europe, despite US President Donald Trump’s support. HR/VP Josep Borrell condemned the decision saying that “such steps would cut the geographic and territorial contiguity between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, isolate Palestinian communities living in these areas, and threaten the viability of a two-state solution, with Jerusalem as capital of both states”. He added that the EU will not recognise the settlements, which are illegal under international law. Several European countries like France, Ireland, Italy and the UK condemned the Israeli settlements announcement too and called on Israel to reverse the decision immediately.