Israel plans new settlement homes in Jerusalem

By Abdel-Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM

Jerusalem Municipality is planning new settlement homes in occupied East Jerusalem, according to Israeli media on Tuesday.

Municipal officials will meet on Wednesday to discuss a plan to construct 75 settlement homes in Beit Hanina neighborhood in the city, the daily Israel Hayom reported.

The initial plan includes allocating 11 square kilometers for the construction of eight blocks with seven to 12 floors.

In 1967, Israel built Pisgat Ze'ev and Neve Yaakov settlements in the same neighborhood.

According to Palestinian monitors, Israel has increased the pace of settlement building in East Jerusalem since U.S. President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital last year.

Roughly 600,000 Israelis currently live in more than 100 Jewish-only settlements built throughout the West Bank and East Jerusalem since Israel occupied the territories in 1967.

The Palestinians want these areas, along with the Gaza Strip, for a future independent state of Palestine.

International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as “occupied territories” and views all Jewish settlement-building activity there as illegal.