Israel approves 90 new settlement units in East Jerusalem

By Anees Bargouthi

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli authorities on Wednesday approved the construction of 90 new settlement units in Israel-occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli media reported.

According to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s Jerusalem planning committee gave the go-ahead for the building of the new housing units in the southern Jewish-only “Gilo” settlement in East Jerusalem, which lies beyond the green line.

Last week, the Israeli government announced plans to build 800 settlement units in and around East Jerusalem.

International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as "occupied territories," considering all Jewish settlement building on the land illegal.

About 500,000 Israelis now live in more than 100 Jewish-only settlements built since Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. The Palestinians want these areas, along with the Gaza Strip, in which to establish their future state.

Palestinian negotiators insist that Israeli settlement building on Arab land must stop before a comprehensive peace agreement can be reached.