Jordan condemns new Israeli settlement plans in East Jerusalem

AMMAN, Jordan

Jordan on Saturday decried new Israeli settlement plans in occupied East Jerusalem as a violation of international law.

On Friday, Israel issued tenders for the construction of 1,029 units in the settlements of Efrat and Beita Illit in East Jerusalem, according to Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlements watchdog.

The group said the settlement building comes despite Israel’s commitment during last week’s summit in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh to suspend the construction of new settlements in the occupied East Bank.

During the Sharm El-Sheikh summit, Israel pledged to halt discussion of any new settlement units for four months, and to stop authorization of any outposts for six months.

“Settlement activities are a grave and brazen violation of international law,” Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Sinan Majali said in a statement.

He stressed that Israel’s policy of settlement building undermines chances for peace and the possibility for a two-state solution.

Israel’s unilateral steps “are illegal, unacceptable and rejected and are a serious violation of the international humanitarian law,” the spokesman said.

Estimates indicate about 650,000 settlers are living in 164 settlements and 116 outposts in the occupied West Bank.

Under international law, all Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar