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Israel to market 454 illegal settler units in al-Quds

A general view of the illegal settlement of Beitar Illit (background) built in front of the Palestinian occupied West bank village of Nahalin (foreground). (AFP photo)

Israel has given the green light for the construction of over 450 units in two illegal settlements in East al-Quds (Jerusalem), despite international condemnation of the regime’s settlement activities.

An unnamed Israeli official said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday approved the marketing of land for the construction of 436 housing units in Ramat Shlomo and another 18 in Ramot.

The Tel Aviv regime decided to build the 436 homes back in 2012. However, the project was later frozen due to Washington’s disapproval.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AP photo)

Ramat Shlomo and Ramot are located in a territory Palestinians seek for a future state but occupied by Israel in 1967.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki has condemned the plan, saying the Palestinians would lodge a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"We don't only condemn settlement building which is illegal and carried out by the Israeli occupation authority through systematic settlement building, we also submit complaints to the parties concerned. Now we have added a new aspect to the parties we deal with which is the international criminal court," said al-Malki.

He added that authorities in Palestine will follow "new escalation in settlement building” with the prosecutor general's office.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki (AP photo)

Israel has expanded its illegal settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories in the past few years in defiance of international calls on the regime to end its expansionist polices.

The presence and continued expansion of Israeli settlements has created a major obstacle to Middle East peace efforts.

Netanyahu has said the creation of a Palestinian state is contingent upon several conditions, including recognition of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, a demand dismissed outright by the Palestinians.

Over half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the West Bank including East al-Quds in 1967.

Much of the international community considers the settler units as illegal because the territories were seized by Israel in a 1967 war and are hence subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbid construction on occupied lands.


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