Israel to expand settlement that will cut off Jerusalem from Bethlehem

JERUSALEM

An Israeli government committee approved plans Wednesday to expropriate Palestinian land for the expansion of an Israeli existing settlement that will disconnect the geographical continuity between East Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

According to the Israeli newspaper, Maariv, the Planning and Building Committee in the Israeli-controlled Jerusalem Municipality approved the construction of public buildings and roads in the Givat Hamatos settlement.

Maariv did not specify the area that will be taken for the settlement.

The Givat Hamatos settlement is constructed on land that belongs to Beit Safafa in southern occupied East Jerusalem.

The newspaper said in 2014, the committee approved the construction of 2,600 settlement housing units in the same settlement but under international pressure, plans were suspended.

Last year, Israeli authorities issued a tender for the construction of 1,257 settlement homes in the Givat Hamatos settlement.

The move was met with wide condemnation from several countries including the UK, France, Germany, Turkey and Egypt because the settlement plan would undermine the two-state solution.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is regarded as "occupied territory" under international law, making all Jewish settlements there illegal.​​​​​​​

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara