ISRAEL APPROVES 49 NEW HOUSING UNITS IN O. JERUSALEM

**Israel approves 49 construction permits for new housing units in Ramot settlement to the east of Occupied Jerusalem.**(Photo: PIC)

Jerusalem, 21 Jumadal Awwal 1436/12 March 2015 (MINA) – The Jerusalem Planning and Building Committee on Wednesday (11/3) approved 49 construction permits for new housing units in Ramot settlement to the east of Occupied Jerusalem.

According to the Israeli Hebrew website walla.com, the new construction project will occupy two dunums in Ramot settlement to the east of the Green Line, Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quited by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Besides, Hebrew reports disclosed that the Israeli government spent about 83 million Shekels on settlement construction including 28 million Shekels that went for Beit El settlement as a compensation for evacuation of a neighborhood in 2014. The official reports, however, announced 17 million Shekels only.

According to Haaretz newspaper, the 28 million Shekels, which were not included in the budget, were transferred by an order made by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The order was based on a deal with the leaders of Beit El settlement who agreed on evacuating five buildings established on Palestinian-owned lands. However, those buildings still exist, but the Palestinians are not allowed to restore their lands, the newspaper noted.

It is also pointed out that the financial committee of the Israeli Knesset approved in July, 2014 the transfer of 170 million Shekels to the Israeli government for settlement purposes.

The reports showed that the Israeli government funded many of random settlement outposts and offered compensations for settlers during the period of settlement freezing based on a political decision. (T/P006/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)