Jordan blasts demolition of historic hotel in East Jerusalem

Jan 9, 2011, 21:04 GMT

Amman - The Jordanian government on Sunday condemned the demolition of a historic hotel in East Jerusalem to make way for apartments as a move that 'runs counter to international law.'

Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh urged 'immediate' action by the world community to stop the unilateral Israeli measures in the city which Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East war.

'The demolition of Shepherd Hotel by Israeli settlement organizations in the Arab Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, which seek to impose new realities on the ground, runs counter to international law and the relevant UN resolutions,' Judeh said in a statement.

Earlier, the European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton reminded Israel that settlement building on occupied Palestinian territory was illegal and also condemned Israel's move.

Judeh warned that the move would derail efforts to resume the deadlocked peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians and 'create a state of instability in the Palestinian territories.'

The United Nations still considers East Jerusalem occupied territory.

Israel said that the Shepherd Hotel, which was purchased by a Jewish American millionaire in 1985 and empty for years, would be replaced by 20 apartments for Israelis.

The Palestinians broke off the US-sponsored direct talks with Israel at the end of September after the Israeli government failed to extend a moratorium on the building of settlements in the Palestinian territories.

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