Israel to build 261 settlement units in al-Quds, West Bank

Palestinians insist that Israeli settlement building must stop before a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian final-status agreement can be reached. The Israeli government has approved plans to build hundreds of new settlement units in the West Bank and Al-Quds (occupied east Jerusalem), an Israeli anti-settlement group said. “These actions prove that the Israeli government is not serious and use the peace talks to expand the settlements,” Peace Now said in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by Anadolu Agency on Thursday. According to the group, Israeli authorities approved on Wednesday two plans to build 256 settlement units in the Nofie Prat settlement between Al-Quds and Ariha (Jericho) and five settlement housing units in the Ariel settlement. Earlier this month, the Israeli government unveiled plans to build 1400 new settlement units in the West Bank and Al-Quds. Some 350,000 Jewish settlers live in settlements built in the West Bank, in addition to 200,000 in Al-Quds. Palestinians insist that Israeli settlement building must stop before a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian final-status agreement can be reached. Both the UN and the US consider Israeli settlement activity on occupied Palestinian land to be a breach of international law.