The Israeli District Planning and Building Committee approved on Sunday a plan to annex more than 700 dunams to build the National Gardens on lands belonging to Palestinians living in Issawiya and Al-Tur neighbourhoods in occupied East Jerusalem.

The Arab Centre for Alternative Planning (ACAP) and Adalah, in coordination with the Civic Coalition for Defending the Palestinians' Rights in Jerusalem first appealed in 2013 against the plan, which will confiscate exactly 732 dunums of land from these towns.

According to the appeal, the plan is against international humanitarian law, which prohibits fundamental changes to the occupied territories, and requires that the use of land only benefits the local population in the region.

"The plan prevents the possibility of the development of the town of Issawiya, which today has a population of 15,000 citizens, and the town of Al-Tur, which has a population of 26,000 citizens," the appeal said.