Emboldened by US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital the Israeli government is considering pushing ahead with plans to build around new 14000 settler units in the city.
Under the plan pursued by Israeli housing minister Yoav Galant 5000 units would be built in the northern parts of the city and just outside Ramallah Israeli media reported Thursday night.
There would be 1000 units built in East Jerusalem while the remaining 8000 units were to be built in the city’s western neighborhoods.
Trump declared the city as Israel’s capital on Wednesday and said that he would relocate the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in a move that has drawn fire from the Palestinians and their backers around the world.
“Following President Trump’s historic declaration I intend to advance and strengthen building in Jerusalem” Galant was quoted as saying.
“There are no more excuses. There are no more reasons why we should not build in the city when the president of the United States views it as the undisputed capital of Israel” other cabinet members were quoted as saying by Israeli media.
Much of the international community regards the Israeli settlements as illegal because the territories were captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and are hence subject to the Geneva Conventions which forbid construction on occupied lands.
Last month the European Union urged the Israeli regime to stop plans for the construction of new settlement units in the occupied West Bank warning that such moves undermine peace efforts.
