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Ariel Schalit / APBenny Kasriel, the mayor of Israeli settlement Maaleh Adumim (above) told NBC News that he was happy that his government decided to expand settlement building because his community needed more space. By NBC News staff and wire services
TEL AVIV -- Israel faced sharp backlash Monday from several European governments over its decision to expand settlement building in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem following U.N. de facto recognition of Palestinian statehood.
In London, the British government summoned the Israeli ambassador to express disapproval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision.
"We deplore the recent Israeli government decision to build 3,000 new housing units and unfreeze development in the E1 block (of East Jerusalem). This threatens the viability of the two-state solution," Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said in a statement (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=840869382).
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