Israel Govt İssues Tenders For 450 Settlement Units: Ngo

The Israeli government has issued tenders for 450 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, an Israeli NGO said Friday.



Another tenders were issued for a hotel in Maale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, and for trade and offices in the settlements of Immanuel and in Maale Adumim in the West Bank, Peace Now NGO said in a statement.



According to the left-wing movement, the tenders are for 102 residential units in Kiryat Arba in the southern Hebron province, 156 units in the northern Elkana settlement, 78 units in the northern Alfei Menashe and 114 units in Adam settlement, northeast of Jerusalem.



In addition, a plan for the construction of 93 settlement units in Gilo, southern Jerusalem, was deposited for public review, it added.



"It is a pre-election grab to establish facts on the ground made by the [Benjamin] Netanyahu Government. After embarrassing the [U.S.] Obama administration with the invitation to the congress, Netanyahu adds another slam in the face of the Americans, and showing no respect to Israel's closest ally," the group said in its comment on the new tenders.



The Israeli government is yet to officially announce the new tenders and has not commented on Peace Now's assertions.



International law considers the West Bank and East Jerusalem occupied territories captured by Israel in 1967, deeming all Jewish settlement building on the land illegal.



Palestinian negotiators insist that Israeli settlement building must stop before stalled peace talks with Israel can resume.



www.aa.com.tr/en - İsrail