West bank expansion
October 27, 2014
Senior government officials from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Monday have indicated plans in the mix that would see Israel construct around 1,000 new housing units in east Jerusalem. The officials spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity.
While Israel said the projects would also include infrastructure projects that would benefit Palestinians living in the West Bank, the move is likely to draw international criticism, as Israel's expansion of housing development is seen as a key hindrance to achieving a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Tensions have been high in Jerusalem recently since a group of Jewish settlers moved into the Silwan neighborhood in the eastern part of the city. In the most recent incident of violence, a Palestinian man drove his car into a group of people on Wednesday, killing a three-month-old baby.
On Sunday, the incident - which is being dubbed a terrorist attack by police - claimed its second victim: a 22-year-old tourist from Ecuador succumbed to the injuries she sustained when she was hit by the car. Seven other people were injured, and the driver was shot dead by police as he attempted to flee.
mz/slk (dpa, AFP)