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Israel extends diplomatic row with Europe over settlements

JERUSALEM — In the latest diplomatic confrontation over Israeli settlement building, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman of Israel took the unusual step of summoning four European ambassadors Friday to complain about what he called their countries’ “perpetual one-sided stance against Israel and in favor of the Palestinians.”

The ambassadors of Britain, France, Italy, and Spain were called in a day after Israel’s ambassadors to those countries were summoned to hear protests about settlement building in areas that the Palestinians view as part of a future independent state. Israeli officials described Lieberman’s step as a counterprotest.

This was the first time that Israel had summoned European ambassadors as a group over such an issue. Lieberman said in a statement the European position was “unacceptable and gives rise to the feeling that they are only looking to place blame on Israel.”

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Last week, the Israeli government published plans to build 1,400 housing units in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, the latest in a series of settlement announcements in recent months. Most countries consider the settlement building a violation of international law.