Israel To Construct More Units In Two Settlements In East Jerusalem

Sunday July 24, 2011 12:42 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli sources reported that the Israeli government intends to construct dozens of units in Jabal Abu Ghneim (Har Homa) and Pisgat Zeev illegal settlements built on Palestinian lands in occupied East Jerusalem.

Archive Photo

The first project includes the construction of nearly 97 units in Abu Ghneim with a total cost of 130 Million Shekels. It aims at constructing seven residential buildings and a small mall, in addition to a number of buildings that would be situated near a planned park.

Some of the new apartments will be ready by 2012 while the rest will be ready by 2013.

Also, 24 units will be built in Pisgat Zeev settlement with a total cost on NIS 50 million.

The new projects are part of a more comprehensive plan that aims at constructing thousands of units in and around occupied East Jerusalem, as the Israeli government considers its illegal settlements as “neighborhoods” that fall under the
jurisdiction of the “unified Jerusalem”.

East Jerusalem fell under Israeli occupation in 1967 when the Israeli army occupied the rest of Palestine following the 6-day war.

On July 30, 1980, the Israeli Knesset passed the so-called “Jerusalem Law” officially annexing occupied East Jerusalem and considering the city as its “unified and eternal capital of Israel”. West Jerusalem was declared as the capital if Israel on December 13, 1949.

On August 20, 1980, the United Nations Security Council passed resolution 789 declaring the Israeli “Jerusalem Law” as a violation of International Law, and considered it “null and void”. Israel ignored the resolution.

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