HELSINKI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The European Union on Wednesday urged Israel to freeze its new settlement activity in the West Bank, saying the planned construction threatened the peace process in the region.

    Government tenders were published in Israeli newspapers on Monday inviting bids on new construction in the Ma'aleh Adumim and Beitar Illit settlements, both outside Jerusalem. It was the largest number of housing bids made for settlement building offered since Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took office on May 4.

    The EU presidency is disturbed at the news that the Israeli government has solicited tenders for the construction of 690 new housing units in the West Bank settlements of Ma'aleh Adumim and Beitar Illit, said an EU statement issued by Finland, which currently holds the rotating presidency.

    The statement said Finland urges the Israeli government to cancel this call for tenders, and to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth of settlements, as stipulated in the Roadmap.

    The statement noted that this planned construction threatens the viability of an agreed two-state solution.

    Like all settlement activity, it violates the international law, in particular Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states that "the Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies," said the EU in the statement.

    The statement also said that the Presidency finds Israel's solicitation of the tenders in question particularly unfortunate at a time when confidence-building measures are urgently needed in the region. Enditem