East Jerusalem Settlement Construction Approved

Jerusalem - PNN - Israel's interior minister announced Thursday the government has given permission for the construction of 1,600 new housing units in the Ramat Shlomo settlement block in East Jerusalem.

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Approval for 2,700 more units is expected in the coming days as well.

The announcement comes just days after the US said it was "deeply concerned" Israel was expanding settlements in East Jerusalem after the government approved 930 housing units in the Har Homa settlement.

The EU and Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat also condemned the move.

The US and EU have been trying to convince the Palestinians not to go to the UN to seek state recognition in September, a move the US and Israel call unilateral.

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