(VOVworld) – On Wednesday the Jerusalem municipality planning committee approved construction of 200 new homes in mostly-Arab east Jerusalem.
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About 200,000 Israelis live in settlements that ring east Jerusalem to help cement Israeli control. (Photo: Getty)
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This is the 3rd approval by the Committee in November, increasing the number of planned settlements to 1,000. The building of new settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank violates international law and is certain to aggravate tensions and violence in Jerusalem.
Spokesperson for the Israel Peace Now settlement watchdog Lior Amichai said it is the worst decision in a sensitive period. The US warned that such an action will only escalate tension in Jerusalem.
A spokesperson for the Palestinian President said Israel has reached its red line and Palestine will not concede.