Experts warn about Zionists' increased settlement activities in Jerusalem

Experts in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict warned that the new settler colony the Zionist regime plans to build in a predominantly Palestinian area in the Ras Al-Amoud district of Occupied Jerusalem in blatant violation of the international laws will deepen the hostilities and clashes between the Palestinians and Israelis. The Israeli committee for planning and building settlements approved building of 23 housing units in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-Amoud. Also other media reports said that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has approved the construction of a new settlement and farm near the existing Jewish colony of Efrat. This will expand the massive Gush Etzion bloc of illegal settlements northward towards the edges of Bethlehem. The new units will lie adjacent to the Deheisheh Palestinian refugee camp and the town of Al-Khadr. The Russian foreign ministry in a statement published Monday blasted Israel for building new settlements, and said that Israeli settlement activities in the Palestinian Territory seized in 1967 are "illegal" according to international law. The statement said Israeli settlement activity is a key cause of clashes between the Palestinians and the Israelis and affects very negatively the efforts of the Middle East Quartet to re-launch negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians based on international resolutions.