Settlements | The American Task Force on Palestine

Palestinians attack East Jerusalem settlement approval
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent
by Matthew Kalman - August 12, 2011 - 12:00am

The Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has accused Israel of "a total disregard for Palestinian rights" after its Interior Ministry announced the approval for the construction of more than 4,000 housing units in East Jerusalem. The Interior Minister Eli Yishai said he had authorised the building of 625 homes in Pisgat Zeev, 1,600 in Ramat Shlomo, and 2,000 in Givat Hamatos. The Israeli government says the project had been given the green light to help solve a severe housing shortage.

Ashton: E. J'lem construction threatens two-states
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Khaled Abu Toameh, Herb Keinon, Melanie Lidman - August 12, 2011 - 12:00am

Interior Minister Eli Yishai’s decision late Wednesday night to approve construction of 1,600 apartments in the northeast Jerusalem haredi neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo infuriated the Palestinians and brought sharp condemnations from overseas. At the beginning of next week, the Interior Ministry is expecting to give the final approval to two additional projects in east Jerusalem – 2,000 housing units in Givat Hamatos and 625 units in Pisgat Ze’ev, Yishai’s spokesman Roei Lachmanovich said.

Israel approves 1,600 Jerusalem settler homes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
by Agence France Press (AFP) - August 11, 2011 - 12:00am

Israel's interior minister Eli Yishai has given final approval for the construction of 1,600 new settler homes in east Jerusalem, his spokesman told AFP on Thursday. The move is likely to anger both the Palestinians and the international community, as it struggles to find a way to relaunch peace talks in a bid to head off a Palestinian plan to seek United Nations membership. Roei Lachmanovich also said the interior minister was set to give final approval for another 2,700 settler homes in east Jerusalem neighborhoods in "a couple of days."

Palestinian official slams U.S. stance on Jewish settlement
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
August 11, 2011 - 12:00am

A Palestinian official criticized the United States Wednesday for not taking a firm stance against the Jewish settlement activities in the occupied territories. The Obama administration's statement that it is concerned by the Israeli activities "is insufficient for anything on the ground, " said Yasser Abed Rabbo, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee.

Israel to OK 4,300 new homes in east Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The San Francisco Chronicle
by Amy Teibel - August 11, 2011 - 12:00am

Israel's interior minister gave final authorization to build 1,600 apartments in disputed east Jerusalem and will approve 2,700 more in days, officials said Thursday, detailing a plan that could complicate diplomatic efforts to dissuade Palestinians from declaring statehood at the United Nations. The announcement drew immediate criticism from the Palestinians, and from Israel's leading anti-settlement group, which accused the government of seizing on mass protests over housing costs to give economic justification to the always explosive issue of building in the holy city.

Settlers have other rules
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Sima Kadmon - (Opinion) August 11, 2011 - 12:00am

Last week, the High Court of Justice heard a petition filed by Peace Now in 2006 that demanded to evict the outpost of Migron, claiming it was built on Palestinian land. Since the petition was filed, two of the land owners passed away, yet the State had not removed the outpost. Ahead of the hearing, it submitted an affidavit, signed by Government Secretary Zvi Hauser, detailing what it has been doing to promote Migron’s evacuation.

UN calls on Israel not to build new settlements in East Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by DPA - August 11, 2011 - 12:00am

The United Nations called Thursday for Israel not to build new settlements, saying such plans would amount to a "provocative action" to the peace process with the Palestinians. Robert Serry, UN coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said the plan was strongly opposed by the international community when it was announced last year. "If confirmed, this provocative action undermines ongoing efforts by the international community to bring the parties back to negotiations," Serry said.

Hoyer: Abbas, Fayyad sent mixed messages on UN bid
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon - August 11, 2011 - 12:00am

PA prime minister tells visiting US lawmakers no final decision yet made on statehood bid, while Abbas talks as if deal is done. The Palestinian leadership sent mixed messages to a Democratic Congressional delegation visiting Ramallah, with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad saying that no decision on the UN bid in September has been finalized, while PA President Mahmoud Abbas gave the impression that going to the UN was a done deal.

Israeli settler leader braces social protesters
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
August 10, 2011 - 12:00am

In a show of solidarity with the social protests that are currently sweeping Israel, settler leader Danny Dayan visited activists in Tel Aviv Tuesday, saying that the West Bank settlers share the protesters' grievances. Dayan, who heads the Municipal Council of Jewish Settlements in the West Bank (Yesha Council), visited the tent complex at Tel Aviv's upscale Rothschild Boulevard, where he met the head of Israel's National Students Union, Itzik Shmuli, one of the protest movement's outspoken leaders.

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