Just hours after Israel released 26 Palestinian prisoners from prison, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the green light on Wednesday to kick-start plans that will allow for the building of 3,500 additional homes in the West Bank to house Israeli settlers.
Analysts said Netanyahu’s move is an attempt to appease hard-liners within the Israeli government and public after approving the prisoner release as part of a U.S.-backed peace effort.
According to a report by Reuters, representatives from the Palestinian Authority slammed the move “as destructive for the peace process,” while U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the decision was a violation of international law and “an obstacle to peace.”
[Reuters]