Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized construction for 240 housing units in the illegal Jerusalem settlements of Pisgat Ze'ev and Ramot, Israeli media reported Thursday.
The units were included in a tender which listed 3,500 housing units across Israel, the Israeli news site Ynet reported. The fact that 240 of the units are to be built in East Jerusalem was made "as inconspicuous as possible."
There was no immediate reaction from the PLO, but the report came just hours after President Mahmoud Abbas said he would be ready to re-enter negotiations with Israel as soon as it fulfilled previously signed agreements that include an end to settlement construction in occupied Palestinian territory.
"We fully support the 2-state solution, a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders living side by side with Israel in peace, security and stability," Abbas said Wednesday in Ramallah calling on Israel to end settlement construction. "Stop this so we can negotiate," he said. "Let's focus on hope rather than failure."
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