RAMALLAH: Israeli plans for 1,000 new settler homes in annexed east Jerusalem are “destroying” efforts by Washington’s top diplomat to revive the peace process, a Palestinian official charged yesterday.
“We consider the recent decision of the Israeli government to build a thousand homes in east Jerusalem as effectively destroying the efforts of Kerry,” top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP.
He accused Israel of having “a systematic plan for destroying Kerry’s efforts which involves an escalation of settlement building, a displacement of the population of the Jordan Valley, an increase of settler attacks against our people and confiscation of our land.”
Erakat’s remarks came just hours after an NGO told AFP Israel was readying to build more than 1,000 settler homes in east Jerusalem despite a major push by Washington to revive dormant peace talks.
Danny Seidemann, director of Jerusalem settlement watchdog Terrestrial Jerusalem, said contracts had been signed for 300 homes in Ramot and another 797 plots were to be offered for sale in Gilo.
Both are in mainly Arab areas of the Holy City which were occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War and later annexed in a move never recognized by the international community.
The news emerged just days after Kerry’s latest trip to the region, his fourth visit in as many months.
According to public radio, tenders for the new homes were invited late last year and it was only the names of the winning bids which were released on Wednesday.
Settlement watchdog Peace Now also confirmed that not a single tender had been invited in months.
Israeli land grab policy ‘destroying US peace efforts’
