Israeli authorities granted approval for building 566 Israeli settlement homes in east Jerusalem on Sunday in spite of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution adopted in December which condemns Israeli settlements on "occupied Palestinian territory."
According to AFP, Jerusalem's deputy mayor, Meir Turjeman, said that the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu purposely asked for the decision on the building permits to be delayed until after Donald Trump's inauguration as the United States president.
"The rules of the game have changed with Donald Trump's arrival as president," Turjeman claimed. He stated that the country can "finally build" since Barack Obama has left office and Israel doesn't have its "hands tied" anymore. The deputy mayor added that besides building the 566 homes which were already given the green light, Israel intends to build another 11,000 settlements in east Jerusalem at an undisclosed time in the future.
Israel slammed the former US administration for declining to veto the UNSC resolution on the settlements. After the resolution was adopted, Trump noted that the country's stance on Israel would change and there would be no more "disrespect" to the country once he took office in January.
Image: EPA / Jim Hollander
