Israel approves apartments in East Jerusalem
The settlement policy under Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has come under international criticism. Now settler apartments are to be built once again in occupied and annexed East Jerusalem. The organization Peace Now calls the project "very problematic".
According to activists, the Israeli authorities have finally approved the construction of new housing for settlers in occupied East Jerusalem. According to the Israeli non-governmental organization Peace Now, 1738 new apartments are to be built in an area half of which is in occupied East Jerusalem and the other half on the Israeli side.
The strategic location of the apartments between the Har Choma settlement and the Givat Hamatos neighborhood is "particularly problematic from a political point of view," according to the Peace Now statement. Peace Now activist Chagit Ofran said that "if there was no war, this would cause a stir". In view of the aspiration for a contiguous Palestinian territory between East Jerusalem and the south of the West Bank, the construction project is "very problematic".
The issue of Jerusalem is one of the central points of contention in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians want to make East Jerusalem the capital of a future Palestinian state, while Israel regards Jerusalem as its indivisible capital. East Jerusalem was occupied by Israel in 1967 and later annexed. The Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are illegal under international law. Around 300,000 Palestinians and around 200,000 Israelis live in East Jerusalem.
The radical Islamic group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, attacked Israel on October 7 and carried out the worst attack in the country's history. Israel then announced the destruction of Hamas, bombed numerous targets in the Gaza Strip and also invaded the coastal area with ground troops. After a break of several days during which dozens of hostages kidnapped by Hamas were released in exchange for prisoners held in Israel, the fighting recently flared up again.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- Numerous oil, gas and coal lobbyists at climate conference
- COP28: Emirates announce fund for climate projects
The construction of these settler apartments in East Jerusalem, which is considered occupied and annexed by international critics, further fuels tensions in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, are deemed illegal settlements under international law.
Source: www.ntv.de
