Palestinians condemn Israel bill to legalise settler homes

Palestinian leaders on Monday denounced an Israeli bill to legalise several thousand Jewish homes in the occupied West Bank, vowing to take up the issue at the UN Security Council. The settler bill had been pushed forward by Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the hardline Jewish Home party. "The recent Israeli measures are going to lead to catastrophe in the region," said Nabil Abu Rudeina, spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.