German press: Israel does not want peace

German newspaper editorials said Thursday that Israel was not really interested in seeking peace in the Middle East in the wake of its decision to build hundreds of new homes in occupied East Jerusalem. The daily newspaper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung stressed 'Israel under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu does not want peace.' The Duesseldorf-based newspaper Rheinische Post said Israel's move to expand settlements in Jerusalem was proof it was 'not really serious' in pursuing peace. The assessment was shared by the Munich-based daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung which stated that no one should be surprised by Israel's action of 'creating facts on the ground' in the occupied territories since it knows that no other country, including the US, could stop it from doing so. Meanwhile, the Berlin-based daily tageszeitung said while Netanyahu has tried to convince the international community that he really wants peace, his policies show just the opposite. The Zionist regime has faced only mild criticism by its western allies for its highly controversial settlement plans in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel has time and again defied calls by the US and European Union to end all settlement activity which would undermine a two-state solution.