Israel approves law allowing J’lem settlement expansion

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Knesset (Israel’s parliament) has approved the second and third readings of legislation that will allow the further expansion of a Jewish-only settlement in East Jerusalem’s Silwan neighborhood, located south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Both readings were approved late Monday by a vote of 63 to 41.

The law allows news settlement units to be erected inside an area recently designated as a "national park".

The initiative is being spearheaded by pro-settler group Elad, which is known for promoting the confiscation of Palestinian property in East Jerusalem to make way for the construction of Jewish settlements.

Palestinians accuse the Israeli authorities of seizing Palestinian land in and around Jerusalem on the pretext of establishing "national parks" before transferring it to the ownership of settler groups.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the decades-long Mideast conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- might one day serve as the capital of a Palestinian state.

International law continues to view East Jerusalem, along with the entire West Bank, as "occupied territories" and considers all Jewish settlement construction there as illegal.

Early last month, U.S. President Donald Trump drew condemnation from across the Arab and Muslim world when he announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.