PA on east Jerusalem building: Such unilateral acts will lead to an explosion
Senior Fatah official Rajoub suggests that the violence seen in Gaza over the summer could repeat itself in the West Bank if Netanyahu continues with such pronouncements.
By JPOST.COM STAFFHar Homa in Jerusalem(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Palestinian Authority condemned Israeli plans announced Monday to authorize planning to advance 1,060 new housing units in neighborhoods in Jerusalem beyond the 1967 lines.According to officials in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, he authorized 660 units to be constructed in the northern neighborhood of Ramot Shlomo, and another 400 in Har Homa.Netanyahu has also given the green light to move forward infrastructure projects in the West Bank, including – the officials said – roads that will serve the Palestinians as well.Senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub warned that "such unilateral acts will lead to an explosion," the Bethlehem-based Ma'an News Agency reported.Rajoub suggested that the violence seen in Gaza over the summer could repeat itself in the West Bank if Netanyahu continued with such pronouncements."If he wants to keep pushing us all into a vicious circle of bloodshed and killing he must draw the right conclusion from what happened in Gaza."Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said that the announcement to advance further planning of housing units over the Green Line "amounts to evidence of an intent to further commit crimes defined by and punishable under international law."PLO Executive Committee member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi accused Netanyahu of deliberately attempting to impose a de facto one-state solution.“Netanyahu’s actions have exposed the true nature of this blatantly racist, extremist Israeli coalition, and it has become evident that Netanyahu is interested in forging ties with extremist and violent settlers at the expense of the two-state solution and Palestinian human rights,” Ashrawi charged."We call on all members of the international community, including the European Union and United States, to take immediate action to end Israel impunity and support our multilateral efforts of resorting to all venues of international judicial accountability, including approaching the UN Security Council and the ICC and acceding to the Rome Statute. Failure to curb Israel violations will plunge the already volatile region into great violence, chaos and instability," Ashrawi added.
