AhlulBayt News Agency - The Israeli Occupation Authorities (IOA) started implementing a new settlement plan that includes building 1,800 housing units in four illegal settlements east of occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem), Iroshalim weekly newspaper revealed Friday.
The paper said that the Israeli municipality allocated nine million shekels for the construction of 1,600 new housing units in clear challenge to the US administration that declared its rejection of the settlement plan nearly six years ago.
US Vice President Joe Biden visited Tel Aviv in 2010 to activate the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis. During his visit, the Planning and Construction Committee in occupied Jerusalem announced plans to build 1,600 housing units.
Biden had expressed then his country’s rejection of the settlement plan causing a media and diplomatic row over the issue.
The plan was frozen over the past six years to be revived recently as “a political reaction to the ongoing Jerusalem Intifada,” according to the paper.
On the other hand, the Israeli Kol Ha'ir newspaper revealed that Euro Israel Company has sold, during February, 12 housing units under construction in Nabi Yacob settlement north of occupied Jerusalem.
Nabi Yacob settlement project includes the reconstruction of four nine-storey buildings which consist of 78 new housing units, according to the paper.
Iroshalim also revealed that the Israeli municipality’s Finance Committee allocated last week 17 million shekels to develop the industrial zone of Atarot northeast of the occupied city.
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