Dr Erakat on plans to construct a new Israeli settlement in occupied East Jerusalem

Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Dr Saeb Erakat, today said that plans to construct a new Israeli settlement in the Palestinian neighborhood of Ras al-Amud in occupied East Jerusalem provided yet another example of the obstacles Israel continues to place in the way of international efforts to restart negotiations. Submitted for approval to Israeli authorities, and reportedly to be called 'Ma’aleh David’, plans for the new settlement include the construction of 104 new settlement units.

“This proposal comes on the eve of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s meeting with US Middle East Envoy Senator George Mitchell, and at a time when international efforts to reinvigorate the peace process are being held up by Israel’s refusal to freeze all settlement activity in line with its international and Road Map obligations,” Dr Erakat said.

“This does not help create an environment for negotiations. Rather than play a constructive role in efforts to restart negotiations, Israel continues to undermine and frustrate these efforts.”

“Occupied East Jerusalem is crucial to the economic and political viability of a future Palestinian state. It is not territory that belongs to Israel. It is occupied Palestinian territory, and its population is overwhelmingly Palestinian. Israel’s continued settlement expansion in East Jerusalem is an out and out land grab that threatens the very possibility of a negotiated two-state solution.”

“East Jerusalem has become the focal point of a long litany of Israeli measures carried out in violation of international law, existing agreements and the fundamental rights and freedoms of Palestinians. The city is slowly being emptied of Palestinians.”

Dr Erakat said that Israel had yet to understand that the two-state solution and regional stability and peace are in its own interests.

“By providing political cover for settlers and funding settlement projects, Israel’s political leadership has created a situation where peace and security for ordinary Israelis is perpetually undermined by a radical fringe of settlers.” Dr Erakat concluded.