Palestine: Israel to build 1600 units for settlers in E Jerusalem

The Israeli government decided to start the construction of additional 1600 apartments for Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem, and will approve additional 2700 units in the coming few days.

Israeli daily, Haaretz, reported that Israeli Interior Minister, Eli Yishai, gave his final authorization for the plan.

Haaretz added that the office of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, knew that the plans to build the additional units in Ramat Shlomo illegal settlement, in occupied East Jerusalem, were advancing.

Israel insists that “it has the right” to build in and around occupied East Jerusalem despite the fact that settlements are illegal and violate the international law.

Israel dubs its settlements in the occupied territories as cities, towns or even neighborhoods, yet, under Fourth Geneva Convention, “an occupying power cannot move all or part of its population into areas it occupies”.

The United States is trying to persuade Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, to cancel the plan to head to the United Nations in September to seek international recognition of statehood.

The US believes that a peace agreement that would end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is possible, and is waving its Veto power against the Palestinian plan.

The Palestinians decided to head to the United Nations as Israel is ongoing with the illegal construction and expansion of Jewish-only settlements, and is also ongoing with its violations and invasions.

Last year, and as US vice president, Joe Biden, was visiting the region, the Israeli government announced that the Ministry of Interior approved the construction of 1600 units for Jewish settlers. The US objected to the plan but, as in all similar incidents, never acted to void it.