The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday criticised the Israeli government’s plans to build 900 housing units in an East Jerusalem settlement, describing the move as illegal.
“The secretary-general is deeply concerned by recent announcements of plans by Israeli authorities for 900 settlements in East Jerusalem that are illegal under international law,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.
900housing units have been approved for construction in an illegal settlement in East Jerusalem
The Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Committee approved the construction of 900 of 1,800 apartment units in the Ramat Shlomo neighbourhood in East Jerusalem.
In response to a question about the decision’s timing which coincides with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that he reached an agreement with the right-wing Jewish Home Party to form a coalition government, Dujarric said: “We are following up closely with the formation of the Israeli government and Ban Ki-moon will discuss with Benjamin Netanyahu possible options for peace talks based on the principle of a two-state solution.”
Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem represent an obstacle to the stalled peace talks between Israelis and the Palestinians.
Palestinians demand Israel freeze all expansion plans in the settlements, but the Israeli government refuses.