The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has condemned Israeli plans to build thousands of new housing units in the settlement of Maaleh Adumim, near Jerusalem.
In a statement following a meeting of the PLO Executive Committee in Ramallah on Sunday, the Palestinians said, "The decision to build additional housing units beyond the Green Line completely prevents the realization of a two-state solution and frustrates efforts to move a genuine peace process forward."
The statement contended that "the expansion of the settlement in and around east Jerusalem through the construction of settlement blocs that cut off the connection between Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories" is meant to complete the "Judaization of Jerusalem within the framework of the plan for a greater Jerusalem."
The comprehensive agreement, signed by the Construction and Housing Ministry and the Maaleh Adumin Municipality, paves the way for construction to begin on 470 units that have already been given government approval and adds an additional 20,000 units to be built in the future pending cabinet approval.
