Israel to build 176 new settler homes in East Jerusalem

Israeli authorities gave the greenlight to the expansion of a Jewish settler enclave in East Jerusalem on Wednesday. The settlement, which is in the middle of a Palestinian neighborhood, currently has 91 homes, and will receive a further 176. The decision to expand the settlement is aimed at “unifying” Jerusalem, according to the city’s Israeli mayor, cited by Reuters. The plans on new construction were promptly condemned by the Palestinian authorities. Last week, Israel also approved construction of hundreds of new homes in the occupied West Bank, amid condemnation from the EU.