Jewish Settlers Win Approval for East Jerusalem Building

Jewish settlers have been granted authorization to construct a building in Silwan, a neighborhood in Palestinian-dominated east Jerusalem next to the historic Old City, authorities said Friday.

The three-story building is located near another one occupied by Jewish families in the neighborhood that has become a flashpoint in the struggle between ideologically driven Israelis and longtime Palestinian residents.

Jerusalem city hall said a committee had approved the construction of the residential building.

"Political considerations do not factor into the decisions of the local planning committee," it said in a statement.

"The city will continue to build in all neighborhoods, according to the master plan, for the benefit of all its residents."

Palestinians have decried the influx of settlers into Silwan, accusing them of seeking to push them out of their own neighborhood.

The Palestinians consider east Jerusalem the capital of their future independent state, and much of the international community has criticized Israel over its settlement building, both there and in the occupied West Bank.

Settlers cite what they see as Jews' historical connection to the area, where the City of David archaeological site is located. Tradition holds that the area is where the biblical King David established his capital.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community. It sees all of Jerusalem as its unified capital.

Settlement expansion in Silwan has been driven by the Ateret Cohanim association, which facilitates the purchase of homes by Jews from Israel and abroad.

Israeli NGO Ir Amim, which opposes settlement building, said the approval "will further expand the Ateret Cohanim settler organization’s growing control over the Palestinian neighborhood."

Ateret Cohanim's Daniel Luria called the decision "an act of historic justice."