RAMALLAH, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Tuesday condemned the new Israeli plan to build over 3,500 new settlement units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Hanan Ashrawi said in a statement "we strongly condemn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approval of the construction of 3,829 illegal settlement units in the occupied West Bank."
According to Israeli media sources, the new units include 300 units in Bet El, 206 in Tekoa, 158 in Kfar Extzion, 129 in Avnei Hefetz, 102 in Negohot, 97 in Rehelim, 48 in Maale Mikhmas and 30 in the Jewish settlement in Hebron city.
Ashrawi underlined that under this plan, permits will be granted for areas where unlawful construction has not taken place in years; these include settlements in and around Hebron, Bet El, Tekoa and Givat Zeev.
"Clearly, Israel is bent on entrenching the military occupation and its illegal settlement enterprise, further reaffirming its intentions of displacing Palestine and replacing it with "Greater Israel," she added.
Ashrawi urged the international community to exhibit the political will necessary to take decisive action to end the occupation.
