Peace Now: 500 settlement units under construction since January in WB

A new report issued by the Israeli Peace Now movement revealed Monday that about 500 settlement units including thousands of apartments have been under construction since January in more than 100 Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Peace Now report said the IOA completed the building of 220 settlement units and began the construction of 257 other units in the West Bank, pointing out that Israeli settlers managed in recent months to build 184 houses without official permits.

The report stated that the Israeli government did not freeze a single settlement project; although, the roadmap plan call for stopping all forms of settlement activities in the West Bank.

The report also added that Israeli war minister Ehud Barak gave a green light in the last two months to build at least 960 settlement units in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

In the same context, Israeli sources disclosed that the local authority in occupied Jerusalem intends to build 600 settlement units in eastern Jerusalem.

Observers expressed their shock and dismay at PA chief Mahmoud Abbas”s statements during a joint press conference held Monday in Jordan with American secretary of state Condoleezza Rice in which he said that he is confident of reaching a comprehensive peace with Israel in 2008 despite all Israel”s ongoing settlement activities and its demands for waiving the right of return.