RAMALLAH, July 29, 2015 (WAFA) – While the High Court of Israel Wednesday demolished two structures built illegally in the originally illegal settlement of Beit El, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed the decision with the approval to immediately construct 800 illegal units in the West Bank.

The Israeli government has joined an appeal filed by the Israeli company which built up the two buildings in Beit El, saying a case has been filed to obtain permits for the two buildings. However the High Court’s judge rejected the appeal seeking to prevent their demolition.

Israeli media outlets reported that clashes erupted in the settlement after security forces began demolishing two illegal buildings, after hundreds of settlers protested.

Hundreds of settlers protested the court’s ruling and a fight broke out between settlers and police who controlled the two buildings and the surrounding premises. Settlers hurled stones at the police while others set public property on fire.

The land on which the two buildings were constructed were seized from their original owner Abed Arhman Qasem from the village of Dura al-Qar’, under the pretext of security needs. Later, the plot of land became part of the illegal settlement and the two buildings were constructed on it.  

Despite the court’s order to demolish the two buildings, Netanyahu’s office revealed in a press release that 300 illegal units were approved to be constructed in the same settlement in which the two buildings were demolished, and another 500 units in East Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh slammed Israel’s plan to build new settler units.

“]Israel’s[ policy is detrimental to all efforts that would continue to be exerted by the US and EU until September in order to find a way out of the current impasse, stated Abu Rudenieh.

He called on the international community to immediately intervene in order to stop “this dangerous Israeli policy that would result in further deterioration of the situation which conveys an Israeli message to the international community that Israel is not interested in peace or any efforts aimed at creating the appropriate environment conducive to peace.”

K.F/M.H