Israel plans 15,000 more settlement homes in East Jerusalem

Israel intends to build15,000 new settlement homes in East Jerusalem, the HousingMinistry said on Friday despite U.S. President Donald Trump'srequest to "hold back" on settlements as part of a possible newpush for Israeli-Palestinian peace.

A formal announcement of the settlement plan, quicklycondemned by the chief Palestinian negotiator, could come aroundthe time Trump is scheduled to visit Israel next month.

Wewill build 10,000 units in Jerusalem It will happen. Housing MinisterYoavGalant

Israel views all of Jerusalem as its "eternal andindivisible capital,"but the Palestinians also want a capitalthere. Most of the world considers Jerusalem's status an issuethat must be decided through negotiations. The last peace talksbetween Israel and the Palestinians collapsed in 2014.

Housing Minister Yoav Galant told Israel Radio that hisministry and the Jerusalem Municipality had been working on theplan for two years, with proposals for 25,000 units, 15,000 ofwhich would be in East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the1967 Middle East war and later annexed.

"We will build 10,000 units in Jerusalem and some 15,000within the [extended]municipal boundaries of Jerusalem. It willhappen," he said.

Allsettlements in occupied Palestine are illegal. Palestinianchiefnegotiator SaebErekat

Saeb Erekat, the Palestinians' chief negotiator, saidIsrael's move was a systematic violation of international lawand a "deliberate sabotage" of efforts to resume talks.

"All settlements in occupied Palestine are illegal underinternational law," he said in a statement. "Palestine willcontinue to resort to international bodies to hold Israel, theoccupation power, accountable for its grave violations ofinternational law throughout occupied Palestine."

Channel 2 news said an announcement on building could bemade on "Jerusalem Day" which this year, according to the Hebrewcalendar, falls on May 24, when Israel celebrates its capture ofthe eastern part of the city.

This year marks the50thanniversary, with a large number ofcelebrations planned. Trump's visit is expected to take place onor shortly after May 22.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a statethey hope to establish in the occupied West Bank and theHamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Trump told Reuters in an interview atthe White House on Thursday that he wanted to see a peace deal.

"I want to see peace with Israel and the Palestinians," hesaid. "There is no reason there's not peace between Israel andthe Palestinians none whatsoever."

The U.S. leader met Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu in Washington in February and is to see PalestinianPresident Mahmoud Abbas at the White House on May 3.

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In January, two days after Trump took office, Netanyahu saidhe was lifting restrictions on settlement construction in EastJerusalem, just as the city's municipality approved buildingpermits for hundreds of new homes.

During Barack Obama's presidency, Netanyahu's governmentcame under repeated censure for building in settlements, whichthe previous U.S. administration saw as an obstacle to peace.Under Trump, Netanyahu expected more of a green light to ramp upsettlement building, but it hasn't been straightforward.

While Trump has said he does not think settlements arenecessarily an obstacle to peace, he did directly askNetanyahuduring a White House press conference in February to "hold backon settlements for a little bit."

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In 2010, Israel announced its intent to build homes in EastJerusalem during a visit by then-Vice President Joe Biden, whocondemned the plan. It caused huge embarrassment to Netanyahu,who suspended the plan before reintroducing it in 2013.

Most countries consider settlement activity illegal and anobstacle to peace. Israel disagrees, citing biblical, historicaland political connections to the land many of which thePalestinians also claim as well as security interests.

The East Jerusalem neighbourhoods where building is plannedare Givat Hamatos, East Talpiot, Ramot, Pisgat Zeev, NeveYaakov, Ramot Shlomo, Gilo and Atarot. These areas extend in anarc from north to south around the eastern side of Jerusalem,forming something of a buffer with the West Bank.

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