Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - An Israeli commission yesterday approved the construction of 1520 new settlements in two districts of East Jerusalem, the Palestinian area occupied by Israel since 1967. The public announcement came on the eve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington and a few hours after U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech in which he asked for peace negotiations, guaranteeing security for Israel and a State of Palestine within the 1967 borders (including East Jerusalem). It was the first time an American president spoke in favour of a Palestinian state specifying the 1967 boundaries.
The Israeli Ir Amim association spokesman confirmed that the Ministry of Interior has started the construction of 620 houses in the settlement in the neighborhood of Pisgat Zeev and another 900 in Har Homa near Bethlehem. Nabil Abou Roudeina, spokesman for President Mahoud Abbas, condemned Israel's decision calling it "the immediate response to President Obama’s speech." Even "Peace Now", the Israeli human rights organization, which is against the Israeli settlements, condemned the decision for the new settlements on the eve of talks between Netanyahu and Obama.
To add to the burden of a tension between Netanyahu and Barak Obama, the newspaper Haaretz today announced that some government ministers are preparing to inaugurate in the coming days, the Ma'aleh Hazeitim complex, a Jewish colony in the heart of old Jerusalem, near the Ras al-Amud district.
Ma'aleh Hazeitim was built in the late 90's and according to the Israelis the land was bought from them 100 years earlier. Palestinian families have unsuccessfully appealed to the Court to receive recognition of their property rights.
The colony, along with new projects underway in Ras al-Amud makes it difficult to construct a corridor between the old city and the West Bank, separating Jerusalem from the rest of a viable Palestinian state.
At the time of the conquest of East Jerusalem in June 1967, the city had an Arab majority. Israel has built settlements for at least 200 thousand Israelis and declared the city its "eternal and indivisible capital".
According to "Peace Now" there are at least 121 colonies recognized by Israel in the Occupied Territories, in addition, there are 102 "outposts" that are not yet recognized by Tel Aviv, but expect to be recognised sooner or later. Since 2001, the Israeli population in these colonies has grown by 5-6% per year.