Israel continues settlement operations

The Israeli government agreed on establishing new housing units for Jewish settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

A Palestinian source told ArabicNews.com today that Israeli Prime Minster Ehud Barak's government agreed on establishing 700 housing units since Barak's assumption in July 1999, adding that the Israeli government agreed on continuing to establish 2,700 houses in Abu Ghonim mountain and 132 houses in Ras El-Amoud in occupied East Jerusalem.

The sources said that continuing the settlement policy threatens the peace process on the Palestinian track and is considered one of the clear signs of the Israeli retreat from its peace commitments.