Israel pushes to build 2,000 homes in East Jerusalem
AFP news agency reported on the morning of November 2 that the Israeli government decided to accelerate the construction of 2,000 new settlement houses in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and temporarily stop transferring money to the Palestinian government in retaliation for Palestine becoming a full member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
AFP news agency reported on the morning of November 2 that the Israeli government decided to accelerate the construction of 2,000 new settlement houses in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and temporarily stop transferring money to the Palestinian government in retaliation for Palestine becoming a full member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).Israeli ministers have also met to consider a response to UNESCO's decision, multiple sources said.
Nearly 500,000 Jews live in occupied settlements.
in Palestinian territory
Responding to the news, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesman, Nabil Abou Roudeina, said that Israel’s actions would accelerate the destruction of the Middle East peace process. “Accelerating the settlement construction process means accelerating the destruction of the peace process, and stopping the transfer of money to Palestine is an act of stealing money from the Palestinian people,” Roudeina said.
Earlier, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird announced that his country would stop voluntary contributions to UNESCO because the organization had accepted Palestine as a full member. UNESCO's operating budget is funded by legally binding contributions and voluntary contributions from member countries. Canada's decision only affects future voluntary contributions, which currently stand at about $10 million per year. The US also announced that it would stop contributing $60 million planned for November 2011 to UNESCO. In a related development, Palestine is preparing to apply to join 16 other United Nations organizations after becoming a full member of UNESCO. According to the Palestinian representative to the United Nations, UNESCO's acceptance of Palestine as a member of this organization has "paved the way" for Palestine to apply to join other UN agencies. Palestinian officials said they were studying the conditions for joining 16 UN agencies, but did not specify the names of these agencies or when the application would be submitted.
According to SGGP
