Israel confirms settlement growth [View All]

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Israel confirms settlement growth

About 390,000 Jewish settlers already live in the West Bank
The Israeli government has confirmed plans to increase the size of its largest settlement in the West Bank.
Approximately 3,500 homes are planned for Maale Adumin, east of Jerusalem.

The settlements at Ariel in the northern West Bank, and Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem, are also expected to be expanded.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Israeli plan threatened hopes of restarting the Middle East peace process.

" sabotages all efforts seeking to get the peace process back on track," he told the AFP news agency.

"The Israeli government wants to determine Jerusalem's fate by presenting the settlements and wall as a fait accompli.

"We ask the Quartet and American President George Bush: what happened to the two-state vision and how can we have peace while settlements and the wall continue to be built?" Mr Erekat said.

Under the peace plan known as the roadmap, Israel pledged to freeze the growth of settlements on land occupied since 1967. The plan is sponsored by the "quartet" of the US, Russia, European Union and United Nations.

The international community considers all settlements in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

About 400,000 Jewish settlers live in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem - alongside more than four million Palestinians.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4367787.stm