Settlement expansion in Palestine rises by 65 per cent

[ 23/12/2010 - 10:12 PM ]

NAZARETH, (PIC)-- More than half of Jewish settlements in Palestinian land are being expanded or built up 65 per cent faster than the previous year, the Israeli Peace Now organization reported Thursday.

At least 1,700 units were erected in the Jewish settlements since the settlement freeze expired three months back, most of the building taking place in the settlement blocs near the green line. More building also has been started in remote settlements, such as Tabuh, Talmun, and Ofera.

Meanwhille, Jerusalem saw a sharp rise in Palestinian home demolitions this year with a 45 per cent increase from the last.

“Israel demolished 396 homes in the West Bank and and Jerusalem this year, compared to the 275 homes demolished last year,” said Maxwell Gellard, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Palestine.

In a separate context, Israeli police investigated 750 Arabs in Jerusalem over incidents of stone throwing, half of them minors, said Israeli chief of police Aaron Franco, adding that charges were pressed on only half of the suspects.

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