Zionists Approve 172 More New Settler Units

Local Editor

Zionists gave approval for the construction of 172 new homes for Jewish settlers in occupied east al-Quds, nearly two weeks after it announced thousands of other ones, a city councilor said on Wednesday.

"The municipality approved this morning the construction of 172 apartments in Har Homa," occupied al-Quds city councilor Yosef Pepe Alalu of the leftwing Meretz party, which opposes settlements, told AFP.

"This is the final stage before construction, and is the continuation of a policy that harms the "peace process,"" he said.

On June 5, the Zionists unveiled plans for 3,200 settler units in occupied east al-Quds and the occupied West Bank, in retaliation for the formation of a Palestinian unity government.

The announcement drew furious reaction from the Palestinians and the international community, with UN chief Ban Ki-moon saying he was "deeply concerned" and urging the Zionists to freeze their settlement activity.

Wednesday's approval came as the Zionists were engaged in a huge crackdown on Palestinians, accusing them of kidnapping three Zionists that went missing on Thursday in occupied West Bank.

When nine months of US-backed "peace" talks collapsed in April, officials in Washington placed a large portion of the blame on the Zionists pushing through plans for thousands of settler units during negotiations.

Meanwhile, the Palestinians have pledged to seek an anti-settlement resolution at the UN Security Council.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team