UN's Ban says new Israeli housing plan not helpful
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Israel's tender for bids to build new homes in a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem is "not helpful," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday.
Israel published the tender, dated Dec. 2, for 300 homes and commercial units on a government Web site this week. "This new tender for 300 new homes in eastern Jerusalem, so soon after the Annapolis Middle East peace conference, I think is not helpful," Ban said, noting that the United Nations had a consistent position on the illegality of such settlements. Israel has repeatedly said it does not view neighborhoods belonging to Jerusalem as settlements. (Reuters)
