CAIRO: Egypt has condemned the Israeli government鈥檚 decision to 鈥渓egalize鈥� settlement outposts in the occupied Palestinian territories and to build new settlement units.

A statement issued from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs follows the Israeli Cabinet鈥檚 announcement on Sunday to legalize nine settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The ministry said that Israel鈥檚 decision constitutes a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions and the relevant rules of international law.

Egypt sees the move as 鈥渁n unacceptable provocative act that coincides with the convening of the Jerusalem Conference in Cairo,鈥� said the statement.

Egypt warned of the consequences of Israel's decision, which would greatly inflame the situation in the occupied territories and have dire repercussions on the security and stability of the entire region.

Egypt demanded that Israel immediately stop all unilateral measures, including house demolitions, arrests and raids targeting the Palestinian people and their property.

In the statement, Egypt emphasized that 鈥渢he only way to calm the situation is to stop those practices that violate international laws.鈥�

The statement added that a climate must be created that allows for a 鈥渞eturn to the negotiating table with the aim of reaching a solution to the Palestinian issue based on鈥nternational legitimacy鈥� and achieving 鈥渁 comprehensive and just peace in which the independent Palestinian state lives side by side with Israel in peace and security.鈥�

In its closing statement, the Jerusalem Conference held on Sunday at the headquarters of the Arab League condemned the systematic Israeli policy to distort the Arab and Islamic identity of Jerusalem.