Days of Palestine, Jerusalem –Israeli occupation is to press ahead with the planned construction of 2,610 settlement units in Jerusalem, Israeli Peace Now said on Wednesday.
The settlement units, which have been slated for construction since 2012 in the illegal Israeli settlement of Givat Hamatos, were given final approval last week, Peace Now said in a statement.
Peace Now Spokeswoman Hagit Ofran said the Israeli government could now publish tenders for the project, but that it would be months before building actually began.
Ofran also stated that the plans damaged prospects for peace and an eventual independent Palestinian state.
“Givat Hamatos is destructive to the two-state solution,” the organisation said in the statement. “It divides the potential Palestinian state… [Israeli PM Benjamin] Netanyahu continues his policy of destroying the possibility of a two state solution.”
The timing was a political decision, Ofran said, but the exact reason was unclear.
Housing Minister Uri Ariel explained on the Army Radio Wednesday that it was part of “the normal process of authorisation necessary before any construction project in Jerusalem.”
Just days ago, a Palestinian researcher specialist in Israeli settlement revealed that the Israeli occupation government had approved a decision to construct 58,000 Israeli settlement units south of Jerusalem.
Reacting to the move, the US State Department warned it would call into question Israeli commitment to peace with the Palestinian Authority.
According to Reuters, State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the step would also send a “troubling message” if the Israeli government proceeded with tenders and construction.
“This development will only draw condemnation from the international community, distance ‘Israel’ from even its closest allies, poison the atmosphere not only with the Palestinians but also with the very Arab governments with which Netanyahu said he wanted to build relations,” Psaki said.
But of course, this is a big lie because the US-Israeli relations have been becoming stronger and stronger. Just few days ago, US agreed to supply the Israeli occupation with more weapons, including lethal hellfire missiles.
Weeks ago, the US Congress announced Israeli a strategic partner. It is clear that as more the Israeli occupation massacres Palestinians and bites their rights as much it becomes closer to the US.
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