Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fast-tracking plans for an additional 1,060 new apartments for Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem.  It comes as tensions with Palestinians are on the rise and relations with Washington are at a low.  The settlements in an area that Palestinians see as their future capital are illegal under international law. 

Netanyahu’s announcement runs in defiance of pressure from the United States and other Western allies who have repeatedly urged Israel not to expand settlement construction.  Earlier this month, the US said that further construction in East Jerusalem would “poison the atmosphere” and distance Israel from even its closest allies.  Last week, top US officials including Vice President Joe Biden refused to clear time on the calendars to meet with visiting Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon.

Green lighting new construction seems to be aimed in part at placating his coalition partners from the right, but come as violence between Israelis and Palestinians is increasing.  And as what seems to be the usual pattern, it involves violence against children.

This latest row began on 19 October, when a car driven by an Israeli settler plowed into five-year old Palestinian kindergartener Einas Khalil, killing her and seriously injuring a classmate.  No arrests have been made in the case.

Three days later, a Palestinian borrowed his Dad’s Volkswagen and rammed it into a tram stop in Jerusalem, killing a 3-month old baby girl, Chaya Zissel Brauna.  The driver was shot and killed by Security forces as he tried to run away.  A 22-year old Ecuadorian woman injured in that attack died on Sunday. 

Last Friday, a Palestinian-American teenager was shot and killed during clashes with Israeli soldiers, and 12 Palestinians were wounded during protests.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is urging the UN Security Council to hold a special session on the increasing violence.