Germany said today that Israeli advancement of plans to build more than 2000 housing units in illegal West Bank settlements run counter to a negotiated two-state solution.

A statement by a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said Germany rejects all unilateral steps that jeopardize a two-state solution.

Commenting on the Israeli cabinet’s decision last week to approve 715 housing units for the Palestinians in area C of the occupied West Bank, which is under Israeli control, in addition to approving the construction of thousands of housing units in the illegal Israeli settlements, the spokesman said that granting of permits for Palestinian construction in these areas should be done in agreement with the Palestinian Authority and independent of any decision on the possible expansion of settlements.