EU opposed to construction in Jewish settlements on West Bank, says Czech minister

Representing the Czech presidency of the European Union, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout said in Israel that the EU considered the building of houses in Jewish settlements on the West Bank a serious obstacle to peace in the Middle East. Mr Kohout made the comments after talks with Israeli and Palestinian politicians on Wednesday. He said a recent speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he for the first time acknowledged the right of Palestinians to their own state was a first significant step towards a peaceful solution to the situation in the Middle East.