Palestinian Authority criticises Israel over new settlement plans

Chief Palestinian Authority (PA) negotiator Saeb Erekat has criticised Israel’s decision to build more than 1,800 new settlement units in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

Erekat said that the Israeli decision undermines US efforts to reach a peace agreement. “The decision is a message from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the US Secretary of State John Kerry that he should not revive the peace process in the region,” Erekat said.

The PA official added: “Whenever Kerry intensifies his efforts and intends to returns to the region, Netanyahu intensifies his efforts to destroy the peace process. Netanyahu has launched a war against international law.” He also called for holding Israel accountable for its “crimes.”

Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem revealed that on Friday that the Israeli government has announced the building of more than 1,000 settlement units in East Jerusalem and 800 settlement units in the West Bank.

According to B’Tselem, the Israeli housing ministry published plans for building 1,076 settlement units in East Jerusalem and 801 in the occupied West Bank.

Source: AlQuds AlArabi