Data obtained by the Peace Now settlement watchdog group shows that Jewish construction in East Jerusalem has spiked since 2017.
Peace Now found that in the first two years of US President Donald Trump’s term in office, authorities approved 1,861 housing units in Jewish East Jerusalem neighborhoods, a 60% increase from the 1,162 approved in the previous two years. The figures show that 1,081 permits were issued in 2017 alone, the highest annual number since 2000. A total of 1,233 housing units were approved for Palestinians in 2017 and 2018, according to Peace Now.
This photo taken Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, shows the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)
The figures are for construction permits issued by the municipality, the final step of a costly bureaucratic process that can take years to complete. The figures show that since 1991, the municipality has issued 21,834 permits for housing units in Jewish areas of East Jerusalem and just 9,536 for Palestinian neighborhoods.
Spokesmen for the Israeli government and the municipality did not respond to requests for comment.
— AP
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