The United Nations and European Union have criticised an Israeli plan to build 1,250 homes for Jewish settlers on the edge of occupied East Jerusalem.
Israel has invited bids for the construction in the Givat Hamatos area.
A UN envoy warned it would damage prospects for a future contiguous Palestinian state.
Israeli plan for new East Jerusalem settler homes criticised https://t.co/HCKuQXLX8J #BBC #Palestine
— Eye On Gaza (@Eye_On_Gaza) November 16, 2020
Under President Trump the US has taken a permissive approach to settlement activity, but President-elect Joe Biden is expected to change that.
European diplomats who visited the area on Monday to protest against the plan were heckled by Israeli nationalists.
A video posted by Israeli public broadcaster Kann showed a crowd shouting "shame on you" at the diplomats, and accusing them of anti-Semitism and supporting terrorism.
#BREAKING: @EUpalestinians representatives that arrived to protest the building of 1000+ home Givat Hamatos in East Jerusalem have been chased out of the area after activists protested their arrival (video @SuleimanMas1) pic.twitter.com/7NpIa1BBo7
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) November 16, 2020
Anti-settlement groups meanwhile said they believed Israeli officials were hurrying through the project before President-elect Biden took office.
More than 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since Israel's occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war.
Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
The plan for the construction of 1,257 housing units in Givat Hamatos was revived Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in February, having previously been frozen for years because of international opposition.
On Sunday, the Israel Land Authority (ILA) asked building contractors to submit bids by 18 January.
Latest Stories
-
Stonebwoy, other African acts’ music restored after TikTok, Universal Music resolve dispute
8 mins -
Dumsor hasn’t ended – IES debunks Akufo-Addo’s claim as citizens complain of more outages
15 mins -
‘Man stuffing ballot box, not our staff and incident not related to Ejisu by-election’ – EC
30 mins -
Agogo Presby Hospital holds annual performance review meeting
35 mins -
Fifth body found after Baltimore bridge collapse
45 mins -
Atlantic Lithium to list on the Ghana Stock Exchange
50 mins -
EOCO could have done more investigations into Cecilia Dapaah’s case – GII
1 hour -
MTN FA Cup: Dreams FC to switch focus to title defence after CAF Confederation Cup elimination
1 hour -
New photo marks Princess Charlotte ninth birthday
1 hour -
Dafeamekpor files appeal against dismissal of request to compel Akufo-Addo to accept anti-LGBTQ bill
2 hours -
Group submits RTI application seeking information on BVRs for limited registration exercise
2 hours -
They accepted my lunch offer – Kwadaso MP on money given to EC officials
2 hours -
KAIPTC launches 5-year strategic plan
2 hours -
Akwaboah Jnr stuns fans with wedding announcement
2 hours -
Chiefs not mandated to rise to greet visitors – Atuguba questions Chieftaincy Ministry justification
2 hours