WEST BANK: Palestinians condemn Israeli announcement to build more settlers' homes in West Bank

Record ID: 564724

  • Title: WEST BANK: Palestinians condemn Israeli announcement to build more settlers' homes in West Bank
  • Date: 4th November 2013
  • Summary: ARIEL SETTLEMENT, WEST BANK (NOVEMBER 4, 2013) (REUTERS) TOP VIEW OF SETTLEMENT VARIOUS OF TEMPORARY HOUSES BUILDERS AT SITE VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION SITE RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (NOVEMBER 4, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AHMAD ASSAF, FATAH SPOKESPERSON, TALKING TO REPORTER PALESTINIAN FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) AHMAD ASSAF, FATAH SPOKESPERSON, SAYING: "This is a denial of Palestinian rights and a blow to the signed international agreements, the international law, and it is a failure, and it is destroying the American efforts. Therefore, what we need now is to hear the American reaction, we need a clear reaction to prevent Israel from continuing with their plans, and to stop Israel from ruining the peace process, because continuing with those actions is very dangerous. This Israeli escalation will face clear Palestinian condemnation, and this act will not help the peace process." MORE OF ASSAF ARIEL SETTLEMENT, WEST BANK (NOVEMBER 4, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION WORKS
  • Embargoed: 19th November 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8R6ODYMG3LSSSRRWDD8L2HWAT
  • Story Text: The Palestinian Authority condemned Israeli settlement expansion plans on Monday (November 4) and said it was a blow to the peace process.
    Israel issued tenders for the construction of more than 1,700 new homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank on Sunday (November 3), moving ahead with projects opposed by the United States and others ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
    "This is a denial of Palestinian rights and a blow to the signed international agreements, the international law, and it is a failure, and it is destroying the American efforts. Therefore, what we need now is to hear the American reaction, we need a clear reaction to prevent Israel from continuing with their plans, and to stop Israel from ruining the peace process, because continuing with those actions is very Dangerous. this Israeli escalation will face clear Palestinian condemnation, and this act will not help the peace process," Ahmad Assaf, Fatah spokesperson, said in Ramallah.
    The plots being advertised are in nine settlements in areas Israel says it intends to keep in any peace deal with the Palestinians. They are part of the 3,500 settler homes whose planned construction Israel announced on Wednesday when it released 26 Palestinian prisoners, a government official said.
    Kerry, who helped revive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in July after a three-year break, is now in Saudi Arabia on a Middle East visit that will also bring him to Israel and the West Bank.
    His meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders are likely to focus on the peace talks, which have shown little sign of progress, and Iran's nuclear programme.
    Palestinians, who seek a state of their own in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, fear settlements on land Israel captured in a 1967 war could deny them a viable and contiguous country.
    Some 500,000 Jews and about 2.5 million Palestinians live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and most countries consider Israeli settlements illegal. Israel cites historical and Biblical links to the two areas.
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