Israel continues to expand settlements in Jerusalem

Wednesday February 13, 2008 04:49 by IMEMC Staff

The Israeli Housing Ministry declared on Tuesday that preparations are being carried out to build at least 1100 houses for settlers in east Jerusalem and its surrounding Arab areas.

Illegal Israeli settlement

The Ministry said that the Jerusalem Municipality released bids to build 750 houses in Pesgat Zeev area and 370 houses in Jabal Abu Gheim, a green mountain near Bethlehem which was illegal annexed by Israel and its trees were uprooted when Israel built houses for settlers.

Israeli Housing Minister, Ze'ev Boim, said that his ministry will build anywhere in Jerusalem and around it, while his assistant stated that the new bids for the 370 houses will not be released until the results of a previous bid for 307 houses are officially released.   

Israel surrounded Jerusalem with illegal settlements and the illegal annexation wall and always accelerated settlement construction and expansion in the city in order to create forced realities which will bar handing East Jerusalem to the Palestinians under any future peace agreement.

Israel illegally annexed East Jerusalem in 1967 when it occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. According to the international law, and various Security Council resolutions, East Jerusalem is part of the occupied Palestinian territories and should be the capital of the future Palestinian State.

Israel still refused to hold any peace talks regarding the future of Jerusalem, borders and the refugees.

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