Israel approves 78 new illegal housing units in occupied Jerusalem

Israeli occupation’s Local Committee for Planning and Building in occupied Jerusalem has ratified the approval of 78 new illegal housing units in the eastern part of Jerusalem.

The move will likely be viewed as yet another escalation of Israel’s collective punishment against Palestinians after five Israelis were killed at a Jewish synagogue in the western part of Jerusalem on Monday during a time of increasing tensions in the holy city.

According to Felesteen Online, Israeli public radio reported on Wednesday that: “The committee has approved the establishment of 50 housing units in the settlement of Har Homa, which is built on the territory of Jabal Abu-Ghunaim in the south of Jerusalem, and 28 housing units in the settlement of Ramot in the north of Jerusalem.”

This approval is the last stage before the issuance of the municipal’s building permits, which are usually issued immediately after such a decision by the local committee is made.

The same committee has approved, in recent weeks, the establishment of hundreds of new illegal settlement units in Har Homa and Ramot, in addition to the settlement of Ramat Shlomo, which is built on the occupied territory of Shu’fat, north of Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Authority and many Arab and Western nations have criticised Israel’s continued expansion of illegal settlements, demanding that Israel stop these activities.