“Israel” OK’s over 1,500 New Settler Units, Rejects 1967 Borders Pullout...Hamas Slams

Following the Middle East speech that US President Obama gave on Thursday evening, in which he said that "Israel" has once again defied international law by approving the construction of over 1,500 more illegal settlement units on occupied territories of Palestine, a report says.

"Israel's" Interior Ministry Planning Committee has given the final approval for construction of 620 settlement units in Pisgat Zeev in northeastern al-Quds (Jerusalem) and another 900 in Har Homa in the south of the city. The plan was approved on Thursday just hours before "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for Washington, where he is to meet US President Barack Obama in the White House on Friday.

"Israel" occupied and annexed East Al-Quds (Jerusalem) with the rest of the West Bank in 1967 six-day war, but the measure was never recognized by the international community.

On a related note, "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected US President Barack Obama's call for withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories based on the 1967 borders. Netanyahu also rejected any pullout from East al-Quds (Jerusalem).

"Those borders are not defensible," and the establishment of a Palestinian state must not come "at "Israel's" expense," the JPost online newspaper quoted Netanyahu as saying on Friday.

Netanyahu noted that he plans to keep the West Bank, including a strategic section of land along the Jordanian border that he believes is vital to "Israel's" security.

The "Israeli" prime minister said he would reiterate his security demands with Obama as he is scheduled to meet him at the White House on Friday.
In his Middle East policy speech on Thursday, President Obama called for the formation of an independent Palestinian state based on the lines before the 1967 Mideast war.

"We believe the borders of "Israel" and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states," said Obama.
"Israel" captured the West Bank, East al-Quds and the Gaza Strip during the 1967 war.

It said that the new decision is another example of "Israel's" racist policies, based on land theft, changing the demography and geography of al-Quds (Jerusalem), and the ongoing violations against the holy sites.

The movement further stated that the "Israeli" violations, invasions and attacks would only lead the Palestinians to more steadfastness in their lands, and that the people will resist the occupation and will defend their lands.