“Now we can build,” a Jerusalem official says, as a staunch Israel supporter takes office in the US.
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Meir Turgeman told AFP: “Now we can finally build.”
Israel’s PM reportedly delayed approval given the opposition of Barack Obama, who infuriated Israel by allowing a UN resolution against settlements to pass.
Settlements in East Jerusalem are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
At the start of his cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would speak to Mr Trump later on Sunday evening.
“There are many issues between us, including the Israeli-Palestinian issue, the situation in Syria and the Iranian threat,” he said.
Source: Israel approves settlement homes following Trump inauguration – BBC News
Meanwhile, the headline for the same story in the New York Times, once a respected news outlet, conveys a different tone altogether…
“A Defiant Israel Vows to Expand Its Settlements”