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Israel gives final approval to 153 new settler homes in East Jerusalem

January 27, 2017 at 10:20 am

Israel continues settlement construction work in east of Jerusalem [Daniel Bar On/Anadolu]

Israeli authorities gave final approval on Thursday to 153 new settler homes in Occupied East Jerusalem, according to the city’s deputy mayor Meir Turgeman speaking to AFP.

Turgeman said that the approvals by a city planning committee “were among those held up due to pressure from former US president Barack Obama’s administration.”

The 153 homes are all for Gilo, located on illegally-annexed land between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Earlier in the week, Israeli authorities announced building permits for 566 new homes in three settlements in East Jerusalem, while separately advancing more than 2,500 new homes in some dozen West Bank settlements.

The settlement construction bonanza follows the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, in a widely-expected development following the departure of Barack Obama from the White House.

Turgeman has said that there are plans for some 11,000 homes in occupied East Jerusalem.