A senior Fatah official says Israel's development projects in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) are part of a systematic plan to change the demography of the holy city and to Judaize it even more.

“The aim of settlement expansion in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) is to strengthen the presence of settlers there. The goal of the demographic change is for Israel to gain points when they go into negotiations about al-Quds in the future,” Hatem Abdel Kader told Press TV on Friday.
Kader, who is the adviser on al-Quds affairs to Palestinian caretaker Prime Minister Salam Feyadh, added that the increase in settlement construction activities in the occupied Palestinian territories indicates that the United States has failed to secure a new Israeli partial settlement freeze.
“This is an answer to American failure… to put pressure on Israel to stop all illegal settlement construction. This is a message to the United Nations and the international community that Israel does not care (about) any American efforts or pressure to stop illegal settlements,” Kader said.
Talks between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel have been deadlocked since September, prompting the PA administration to start exploring alternative ways forward.
Israel occupied and annexed East al-Quds (Jerusalem) in 1967, but the measure was never recognized by the international community.
Palestinians say the demolitions and settlement construction activities are undermining their efforts to establish a state on territory Israel captured in the Six-Day War of 1967.
Israel has demolished 995 Palestinian homes and displaced 5,783 individuals, including 3,109 children, in occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem) since the start of 2000, according to the Palestinian Information Center.
In June 2007, Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip that has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the enclave.
Some 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, and their rights to appropriate living conditions, work, health and education. The poverty rate in the Gaza Strip is approximately 80% and the unemployment rate stands at about 60%.
(Source: Press TV)
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