An Israeli government committee on Monday advanced plans for 500 more settler units in East Beit ul-Muqaddas (Jerusalem).
A week ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered plans for some 600 settler units for Ramat Shlomo and 400 others for Har Homa, another East Beit ul-Muqaddas neighborhood, to be advanced, according to Reuters.
In Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the reports contradicted the Israeli government’s stated goal of a peace agreement.
“This flies in the face of that,” Psaki told reporters at her daily briefing.
“It is unfortunate for this to move forward given not just the view of the United States, but the view of many in the international community,” she added.
The European Union asked Israel for clarifications about Netanyahu’s promotion of the Har Homa and Ramat Shlomo projects.
Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlement movement, has warned that moving forward with the Har Homa and Ramat Shlomo plans could further inflame tensions in East Beit ul-Muqaddas, the scene of daily confrontations between Palestinian protesters and police in riot gear.
