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RAMALLAH, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian foreign ministry on Tuesday said the Israeli government is escalating its settlement activity in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
"There are Israeli plans that aim at building a new settlement neighborhood including more than 2,500 housing units," the ministry said in an emailed statement.
"This comes as part of the occupation's efforts to create a continuity between Gilo and the Gush Etzion bloc leading to the control of thousands of dunks (acres) of Palestinian lands," it said.
The ministry said it shows that Israel is not paying any attention to the international condemnation and calls to end it.
Israeli settlement activity is considered one of the top issues on Palestinian-Israeli conflict and a main reason that ended the last round of peace talks in 2014.
The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted of nine months achieved no tangible results.
