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The Islamic Christian Commission for Support of Jerusalem and Holy Places says Israel has approved plans for the construction of a new settlement near al-Quds.
Hasan Khatir, the commission's secretary general, revealed the Israeli officials' green light for the new settlement of Givat Yael during a Wednesday news conference in Ramallah, the Saudi English-language daily Arab News said on its website.
The complex planned to be built on 741 acres of land in the West Bank village of Walaja -- lying east of the 1967 armistice line and inside the West Bank -- will include 12,000 settlement units and will provide accommodation for 40,000 Israeli settlers.
The new project -- the largest outside al-Quds municipal boundaries since the construction of Pisgat Ze'ev, Gilo and Har Homa settlements -- has raised warnings of Israeli attempts toward the construction of a "Greater Jerusalem."
The new Israeli plan will "lay the foundation for the appropriation of the land between al-Quds and Gush Etzion settlement," Khatir warned, describing the plan as "a dangerous development toward settlement construction and judaization of al-Quds, Ma'an news agency reported.
Israeli authorities earlier disqualified building plans submitted by Walaja residents, and decided to demolish 90 of their houses, labeling the buildings as illegal.
The approval of the super-settlement project comes despite US warnings to both Israelis and Palestinians against any provocations undermining the ongoing indirect talks between the foe sides.
Israel's Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch on Wednesday announced plans to raze a number of Palestinian homes in East al-Quds.
He said the demolitions orders were previously delayed in the light of US efforts to renew the so-called peace process.
Hasan Khatir, the commission's secretary general, revealed the Israeli officials' green light for the new settlement of Givat Yael during a Wednesday news conference in Ramallah, the Saudi English-language daily Arab News said on its website.
The complex planned to be built on 741 acres of land in the West Bank village of Walaja -- lying east of the 1967 armistice line and inside the West Bank -- will include 12,000 settlement units and will provide accommodation for 40,000 Israeli settlers.
The new project -- the largest outside al-Quds municipal boundaries since the construction of Pisgat Ze'ev, Gilo and Har Homa settlements -- has raised warnings of Israeli attempts toward the construction of a "Greater Jerusalem."
The new Israeli plan will "lay the foundation for the appropriation of the land between al-Quds and Gush Etzion settlement," Khatir warned, describing the plan as "a dangerous development toward settlement construction and judaization of al-Quds, Ma'an news agency reported.
Israeli authorities earlier disqualified building plans submitted by Walaja residents, and decided to demolish 90 of their houses, labeling the buildings as illegal.
The approval of the super-settlement project comes despite US warnings to both Israelis and Palestinians against any provocations undermining the ongoing indirect talks between the foe sides.
Israel's Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch on Wednesday announced plans to raze a number of Palestinian homes in East al-Quds.
He said the demolitions orders were previously delayed in the light of US efforts to renew the so-called peace process.
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