AFP | Oct 29, 2012 | JORDAN TIMES

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israel is pushing ahead with a plan to build a new neighbourhood for retired security and army personnel in occupied East Jerusalem, with the land now being marketed to potential developers, Peace Now settlement watchdog said.

Peace Now spokeswoman Hagit Ofran told AFP that the plan for a new neighbourhood near the Palestinian district of Sur Baher was finally approved in July, with the Israel Land Administration (ILA) releasing the land for development last week.

“The project has been approved since July,” she told AFP, explaining that the ILA’s decision to market the land meant the project “can now be implemented”.

“Now they need to get building permits”, she said, referring to potential buyers, adding that the process could take “some months.”

Ofran said the 180 new homes would be reserved for retired security and army personnel, meaning that Palestinians, who do not perform military service, would be excluded.

“The intention to sell it only to military and security veterans is one of the ugliest things,” she told AFP.

“When a residential neighbourhood is finally built between two Palestinian neighbourhoods, they make sure that [the Palestinians] cannot take advantage of it,” she said.

Approval of the plans was linked to the upcoming January elections called by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, she charged.

“The Netanyahu government is trying to exploit every available minute before the elections, in order to establish facts on the ground,” she said.

It was the latest attempt to push forward with Israeli construction in the city’s largely Arab eastern sector.

Last week, the housing ministry said it was to publish tenders for 607 units in Pisgat Zeev, a settlement neighbourhood in the northern part of East Jerusalem.

And on October 18, Israel granted final approval for the construction of 800 homes near Gilo in the southern sector of East Jerusalem.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem along with the rest of the West Bank during the 1967 war and later annexed it in a move not recognised by the international community.

http://jordantimes.com/israel-okays-east-jerusalem-district-for-ex-servicemen