Israel on Wednesday approved the construction of more than 3,000 housing units for settlers in the occupied West Bank.
The planning committee of the Civil Administration has given the final green light to 1,800 housing units and approved 1,344 other constructions.
These authorizations concern Jewish settlements in the south of the West Bank, said a spokesperson for this military body responsible for civil affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Palestinian presidency condemned Israel's approval of such housing, which “further threatens” the two-state solution.
# Israel # Palestinian Territories |
The 🇫🇷 condemns the announcement by the Israeli authorities of the publication of several tenders to allow the construction of more than 1,300 housing units in the West Bank settlements.
Statement 👉 https://t.co/RCWuXDfaS3 pic.twitter.com/N7CJLQaeD4
- France Diplomacy🇫🇷 (@francediplo) October 25, 2021
The United States opposed to the project
The day before, American diplomacy had said it was "deeply concerned" by this project.
"We firmly oppose the extension of the colonies, [...] which undermines the prospects for a two-state solution," said Ned Price, spokesman for American diplomacy.
This is one of the strongest positions the United States has taken on Israeli colonization since the arrival of Joe Biden in the White House.
The Israeli Ministry of Construction also announced on Monday calls for tenders for 1,355 other housing units for settlers in the West Bank.
The committee is due to meet on Sunday to approve the construction of 1,301 housing units in Area C in the West Bank, under full Israeli control.
An uncertain Israeli policy
The Israeli anti-colonization NGO "Peace Now" denounced this Wednesday these projects in the settlements.
"The [Israeli] government has betrayed its status quo commitments by advancing destructive projects by developing colonization," the NGO said in a statement.
About 475,000 Israeli settlers reside in the West Bank, home to 2.8 million Palestinians.
Israeli colonization, illegal under international law, has continued since 1967 under all governments.
It has accelerated in recent years under the leadership of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
His successor Naftali Bennett has been at the head of a motley coalition since mid-June supporting the freeze on colonization.
The announcements come as the government has taken parallel steps to improve the lives of Palestinians.
The coalition must have a state budget adopted by the deputies by mid-November, otherwise new elections will be called.
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