UN envoy slams Israeli settlement plans in E. Jerusalem

By Abdelraouf Arna'out
JERUSALEM (AA) – The UN envoy to the Middle East, Nickolay Mladenov, expressed his concern on Monday over an Israeli decision to build new settlement units in occupied East Jerusalem.

"I am very concerned by the decision of the Israeli authorities yesterday to open the bidding process for the construction of Givat Hamatos." Mladenov said in a written statement.

Mladenov said the new Israeli plans would isolate Jerusalem from the Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank.

“[It] would significantly damage prospects for a future contiguous Palestinian State and for achieving a negotiated two-State solution based on the 1967 lines,” he said.

The UN envoy went on to call on the Israeli authorities to reverse such plans, stressing that the Israeli settlement activity "is illegal under international law."

Israeli media revealed Sunday that Israel plans to build further 1,257 settlement units in the Israeli Givat Hamatos settlement in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in 1967. The Palestinians want these territories for the establishment of a future Palestinian state.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara