’Israel’ Plans 1,400 New Settlements, to Free Dozens of Palestinian Prisoners

Local Editor

"Israel" will reveal plans to build 1,400 settler units in the West Bank and in east al-Quds to coincide with the weekend release of Palestinian prisoners, "Israeli" military radio said Friday.

A third batch of Palestinian prisoners is due to be released on Sunday as part of conditions that "Israel" agreed to when it committed to resume US-brokered talks with the Palestinian Authority in July.
Palestinians have warned repeatedly that settlement building destroys the fragile talks which US Secretary of State John Kerry struggled to revive after a three-year hiatus.

Military radio said 600 new units would be built in the existing settlement of Ramat Shlomo in east al-Quds, while the remainder would be constructed in West Bank settlements.
"Israel" has come in for repeated criticism from the United States and most of the international community for pressing ahead with a drive to build the Zionist settlements on Palestinian lands.
Kerry and the European Union earlier this month urged "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay plans to announce new settlement construction.

Media reports quoted Kerry as telling Netanyahu "to exercise maximum restraint in announcing new construction."
But Netanyahu last week said nothing would stop his government from pushing ahead with the constructions.
"We will not stop, even for a moment, building our country and becoming stronger, and developing... the settlement enterprise," Netanyahu told members of his rightwing Likud party last week.

A senior "Israeli" official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Thursday the "Israeli" government will announce tenders for new outposts in tandem with freeing the next batch of Palestinian prisoners.
"Israel" agreed to free 104 Palestinian prisoners during the talks, and has already released 52 in two separate batches.
A third group is due to be released Sunday - although "Israeli" media said they could in fact be freed on Tuesday night -while the remaining Palestinian prisoners should walk free in March 2014.

Channel 2 television reported on Thursday evening that the procedures essential to the release -- approving the names and allowing 48 hours for court petitions -- have yet to take place.

Source: News agencies, Edited by website team