New housing unit in the West Bank was unblocked by an Israeli commisison
TEL AVIV - The construction of 1,000 new housing units for Jewish settlers in the West Bank was unblocked on Wednesday by an Israeli military commission, reports Peace Now. The housing is part of several projects, including 541 that had been approved in the past but temporarily stalled and 200 apartments in three small settlements in the West Bank. North and east of Jerusalem, in Givat Zeev and Maale Adumim, impediments have been lifted to the construction of almost 500 homes. In Givon ha-Hadasha, Beit Arieh and Psagot (in the northern West Bank), retroactive legislation has legalized over 200 homes already built. In Beit El, an area for the development of a settlement, will see a preliminary phase of 300 apartments that have not yet received approval. The demolition of 24 homes built on Palestinian land that was to be carried out at the end of the month has been halted. Israeli media report that there are now over 400,000 Israeli settlers permanently residing in the West Bank. This figure does not include East Jerusalem, where Israeli estimates say about 250,000 are living.
