Palestinian Authority condemns Israel’s plan to build 300 homes

The Palestinian Authority has condemned Israel's decision to build 300 new homes in the West Bank settlement of Beit El as compensation for the destruction of two buildings in the community that Israel's high court ruled were built on private Palestinian land.

The two buildings, slated to house 24 settler families, were bulldozed yesterday shortly after the court rejected a last-ditch petition from settlers to quash the demolition order.

To appease the settlers and his right-wing coalition partners – particularly the far-right Jewish Home party – prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu immediately announced 300 new homes would be constructed in Beit El, north of Jerusalem, along with 500 new units in Jewish neighbourhoods of east Jerusalem and West Bank settlements close to Jerusalem.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, said Israel’s policy is “destructive to all the efforts by the United States and the European Union to attempt to find an exit to the current crisis”.

International community

He urged the international community to intervene, labelling the plans “dangerous” and a clear indication that

Israel

is not interested in peace.

As the bulldozers demolished the two Beit El buildings, an angry crowd of mostly young activists clashed with the police who had erected roadblocks to prevent more protesters arriving at the settlement.

The announcement of new settlement construction seems to have succeeded in softening the blow for the right-wing politicians who threatened to vote against Mr Netanyahu’s government, which is sustained by a slender 61-59 majority.

Zionist decision

“I praise the prime minister for his quick, correct and Zionist decision,” Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett responded.

“I’ll be there to follow up and ensure this building actually happens.”

However, Mr Bennett’s party colleague, Knesset member Moti Yogev, launched an unprecedented attack on the high court.

“We need to put the blade of a bulldozer in front of the high court. It’s time we put the head judge in her place and show her who’s the majority.”

The attack on the judiciary was condemned by politicians from across the political spectrum, including from justice minister Ayelet Shaked, also from the Jewish Home.

Mr Netanyahu rejected criticism of the court. “Israel is a law-abiding democratic state that respects the decision of the courts,” he said.

Further north in the West Bank, the standoff continued last night between Israeli security forces and 250 right-wing activists who, on Tuesday, occupied the site of Sa-Nur.