Settlement expansion announcement at Gilo means no peace talk possible says Palestinian Authority

From the International Middle East Media Center

Spokesman for PA President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, has strongly condemned the plans to expand the Jewish only settlement of Gilo in East Jerusalem. The plan to extend the settlement was announced on Monday night by the planning committee of the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem.

Nabil Abu Rudineh has stated that the announcement that Israel plans to build 900 new Jewish only settlement units in East Jerusalem shatters any chance for peace between Israel and Palestine.

First announced in 2009 the plans drew criticism abroad from the UN, EU, US and Japan.

The announcement comes on the back of an announcement to build hundreds of settlement units in Beitar Elit in Bethlehem and Shomron in Nablus.

PA advisor, Nimer Hammad, has stated that the PA would be willing to drop its plans to apply for statehood at the UN General Assembly in September given a call by the Middle East Quartet (UN, US, EU, Russia) on Israel to return to 1967 borders and end settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

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