Renewed plans for Jewish settlement in Jerusalem

The West Jerusalem municipality has renewed its plans for building a Jewish settlement in the village of Abu Dis, on the southern outskirts of East Jerusalem, Israeli press reported recently.

Right-wing American Jewish financier Irwin Moskowitz is allegedly the owner of at least part of the land where the new settlement is planned. Moskowitz has furnished extreme right wing settlement groups such as Ateiret Cohanim in Jerusalem with millions of dollars to support their scheme to taking over the Old City of Jerusalem.

Palestinian official in charge of the Jerusalem portfolio in the Palestinian government, Faisal Husseini, said the move would trigger a new round of protest and possible even violent clashes between Palestinians and Israelis. The municipality spokesman, Hagai Elias, claimed that the city council "is planning areas for the city's development, according to an overall program which it determines."