Israel: Bennett's first green light for housing construction in West Bank
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks in Jerusalem, August 8, 2021. REUTERS - RONEN ZVULUN
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2 min
For the first time since taking office, the Israeli government is launching a major construction project in the West Bank.
For the settlers but also, quite rare, for the Palestinians.
And this is already causing a stir on the right as well as on the left.
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With our correspondent in Jerusalem,
Michel Paul
It hadn't happened for over two years.
The Israeli Defense Ministry gives the green light to the construction of some 1,000 housing units for Palestinians in Area C in the West Bank.
This sector is entirely under Israeli administrative and security control under the Oslo accords.
At the same time, however, the Israeli government is proposing the construction of 2,200 new housing units in the settlements.
This decision has yet to obtain the approval of the planning commission of the Civil Administration of the West Bank.
Swallow the pill to the government left
According to the daily
Haaretz,
the purpose of the double decision is to swallow the pill to the left wing of the government coalition.
And also to start the procedure before the meeting scheduled next month in Washington of Prime Minister
Naftali Bennett
with President Joe Biden.
However, the new building permits in Palestinian localities are already provoking the anger of the right-wing opposition, which asks the head of the Israeli government to urgently correct this decision described as "
dangerous
" and "
shameful
".
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See also: The Eviatar colony evacuated by Israeli settlers after tensions with the Palestinians
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Israel
Palestinian territories
Naftali Bennett