PA: Pisgat Ze'ev plan proves Israel doesn't want peace

Abbas aide responds to J'lem c'tee's approval of new neighborhood of 625 housing units in northeastern Jerusalem called "North Pisgat Ze'ev."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Pisgat Zeev construction tractors 311 AP (photo credit: AP)
Pisgat Zeev construction tractors 311 AP
(photo credit: AP)
An aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday charged that a plan to build 625 housing units in Pisgat Ze'ev proves that Israel does not want to resume peace talks, Reuters reported.
"This Israeli signal shows that they are not willing and not ready for any deal in order to resume the negotiations," Nabil Abu Rudeineh was quoted as saying. "It looks like this is an Israeli message to the Palestinians and the Americans that they are refusing any deal resuming the negotiations."
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Also Thursday, Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat said that the plan showed Israel had chosen "settlements and not peace."
The comments came a day after the Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Committee approved the establishment of a new neighborhood of 625 housing units in northeastern Jerusalem called "North Pisgat Ze'ev." The move came despite strong opposition by the US administration.The last major approval for construction in east Jerusalem was announced on November 8, for 1345 apartments in Har Homa in Ramot. The announcement drew international condemnation. The announcement, which took place simultaneously with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's meetings with US Vice President Joe Biden,  was made by the same district committee under the aegis of the Interior Ministry. The move drew international condemnation.
Associated Press and Melanie Lidman contributed to this report