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Criticism of Israeli Building Based on Palestinian Disinformation
(Western Journalism) Yochanan Visser - Reacting to the approval of 800 new housing units for Jews and 600 for Arab residents in the Jerusalem area, the State Department on Wednesday accused Israel of systematically seizing "Palestinian land." Apparently, State Department spokesman John Kirby based his statement on inciting and incorrect information he received from the Palestinian side. No settlement will be expanded outside existing zone plans. Furthermore, the announcement of the plan was, in fact, phase two in a long procedure that started in 2012 when a planning committee approved the proposal. His accusation that there is "a systematic process of land seizures" is false; the plan doesn't involve land expropriation. The only construction plan that is scheduled to be executed outside an existing neighborhood is the building of 600 units for Arabs near the existing Arab neighborhood of Beit Safafa.