Israeli Panel To Discuss E. Jerusalem Settlement Building

An Israeli panel is scheduled to meet next week to discuss plans for a large-scale settlement building in East Jerusalem.



The regional planning committee for Jerusalem will convene on Tuesday to discuss issuing approval for building 1,600 settlement units in East Jerusalem, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.



The controversial project was put on hold in 2010 following U.S. pressures.



Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War. It unilaterally annexed the holy city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish state – a move never recognized by the international community.



Palestinians accuse Israel of waging an aggressive campaign to "Judaize" the city with the aim of effacing its Arab and Islamic identity and ultimately driving out its Palestinian inhabitants.



International law considers the West Bank and East Jerusalem occupied territories taken by Israel in 1967, viewing all Jewish settlement building as illegitimate.



Palestinian negotiators insist that Israeli settlement building must stop before the resumption of stalled peace talks with Israel.



By Abdel-Raouf Arnaout



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - İsrail