Israel approves construction of 500 new settler units

An Israeli activist group says the Tel Aviv regime has approved the construction of 500 new illegal settler units in East al-Quds (Jerusalem), despite mounting international criticism of its expansionist policies. Peace Now said the Israeli Interior Ministry gave the go-ahead on Monday for the new housing units to be built in Ramat Shlomo settlement. “The...decision on the 500 homes in the Ramat Shlomo settlement comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement last week that he would accelerate construction in east Jerusalem (al-Quds),” Peace Now spokeswoman, Hagit Ofran, said, adding, “The decision to move forward in Ramat Shlomo is irresponsible.” On October 27, Israel approved plans for the construction of 1,060 new settler units in East al-Quds. UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman warned the Security Council on October 29 over Israel’s expansionist policies in East al-Quds, saying they threaten the viability of a future Palestinian state. “The reality is that continued settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory is doing significant damage to any possibility of a lasting peace between the two sides...,” he said, questioning measures for a so-called two-state solution. More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank including East al-Quds in 1967. Much of the international community considers the settlements illegal because the territories were captured by Israel in a war in 1967 and are thus subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbid construction on occupied lands.   Press TV