US fails to stop new settlements in East Jerusalem
Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The United States informed the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) that it failed to get Israel to pledge a new moratorium on new construction in the Occupied Territories, the Maan news agency reported, citing a Palestinian government source.
Despite widespread international opposition to Israel's construction in East Jerusalem, the Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee announced Wednesday a plan to build 625 new housing units in the Pisgat Ze'ev, a neighbourhood in East Jerusalem, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported today. Palestinians claim the eastern part of the city as the future capital of their independent state,
On Monday, the Jerusalem Local Planning Committee had already approved another plan for 130 housing units near the Gilo settlement.
The PNA had made a freeze on settlements a precondition for renewed direct talks with Israel. Yesterday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that he was waiting for a US message on the settlements. “If it (a freeze) is accepted,” he said, “we are ready; if not, we will announce that this option is over and we will turn to other options”.
On 8 October 2010, at an Arab League meeting, Abbas said that the PNA might appeal, as one of its options, to the United Nations to recognise the Palestinian state.
In the meantime, the leader of the Hamas government in Gaza, “pragmatist” Ismail Haniya, announced for the first time that any resolution of the Palestinian dispute with Israel should be put to a referendum of all Palestinians around the world, and that if one were held, Hamas would accept the results no matter what they were.
Until recently, the extremist Palestinian group that controls Gaza had refused to accept the legitimacy of Israel or Abbas’ right to negotiate with the Israel.
Now, he said, “We will accept the outcome of any referendum even if it contradicts our policies and convictions.”
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23/01/2006
05/09/2017 10:03
