Washington, DC -  Americans for Peace Now (APN) joins its Israeli sister organization, Israel's Peace Now movement, in strongly criticizing the government of Israel's issuing new tenders for 1,877 new housing units in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

APN's President and CEO Debra DeLee said: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet ministers know full well that unilaterally establishing facts on the ground in the West Bank, in the form of more settlement construction, has a devastating impact on efforts to achieve a peace agreement with the Palestinians and on later implementing such an agreement. Initiating new settlement construction at such a sensitive moment, when Secretary of State John Kerry is set to propose to Israeli and Palestinian leaders a 'framework' for resolving the conflict, is particularly offensive. It suggests to Israelis, to Palestinians and to the world that the government of Israel is not serious about peace.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu earlier last week justifiably demanded that Palestinians put an end to hateful and belligerent anti-Israeli rhetoric. Unfortunately, today he gave Palestinians 1,877 more reasons to hate Israel."

* To read Peace Now's statement on the issuing of the new tenders, click here 
* For more about past settlement plans and construction, click here
* For APN's peace talks resource page, click here