The Jordanian government on Thursday condemned the latest plan by Israel to build more than 3--SPA00 settlement units near Jerusalem, calling it "detrimental" to peace efforts, and demanding an "immediate" halt to the move, according to dpa. "Jordan absolutely rejects Israel's continued building of settlements and considers it detrimental to the achievement of serious and tangible progress in the peace process and building on the positive results of the Annapolis meeting," Minister of State for Information and Communication Nasser Judeh said. "Besides, these Israeli measures totally contradict the international legitimacy resolutions and international law which consider the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, an occupied territory," he added. The Jordanian official was responding to reports that the Israeli government this week endorsed a tender for the construction of 300 housing units at Jabal Abu Ghunaim in East Jerusalem. Jordan lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel in the six- day war of 1967.
