Jerusalem approves 172 new buildings in occupied territory

Har Homa seen from Bethlehem.

Israel gave approval Wednesday for the construction of 172 new homes for Jewish settlers in annexed east Jerusalem, a city councilor said, nearly two weeks after it announced thousands.
"The municipality approved this morning the construction of 172 apartments in Har Homa," Jerusalem city councilor Yosef Pepe Alalu of the left-wing Meretz party, who opposes settlements, told AFP. "This is the final stage before construction, and is the continuation of a policy that harms the peace process."
Har Homa is the Jewish name for an area called Jabal Abu Ghoneim.
Wednesday's approval came as Israel was engaged in a huge crackdown on Hamas, accusing the Islamist movement of kidnapping three missing Israeli teenagers in the West Bank.