Israel plans to approve the construction of 2,000 homes for settlers and hundreds for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, for the first time since the inauguration of Naftali Bennett's government in June, Israeli sources said Thursday.
Read also: Israel considers certain settlements illegal
An Israeli security official told AFP on condition of anonymity that authorities should authorize next week the construction of "
about 2,000 housing units in Jewish settlements
" in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 by Israel.
They are also expected to approve the construction of "
around 1,000 housing units for Palestinians in Area C,
" an area of the West Bank under Israeli civilian and security control, according to the source.
"
Legitimizing colonization"
The Civil Administration's Senior Planning Council, which typically approves these plans, is expected to look into the projects on August 17 and 18, according to its online agenda. The project concerns 1956 housing units in settlements, including 399 in Revava, 377 in Kedumim and 286 in Bracha, settlements near the Palestinian city of Nablus in the northern West Bank, said the Israeli anti-colonization organization "
La peace now
”in a statement. The Jewish state is also planning to build hundreds of housing units for Palestinians in the areas of Bethlehem (south), Jenin and Tulkarem (north), according to the NGO.
The latter project is an “
attempt to legitimize
Israeli
colonization
” and betrays a “
desire to entertain the international community and world public opinion
,” the Palestinian foreign ministry said in a statement.
For "
Peace Now
", "
the authorization (of construction) of a few hundred housing units for Palestinians cannot cover up the discrimination and does not change the fact that Israel maintains an illegal regime of occupation and discrimination in the Territories (Palestinian)
”.
475,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank
In addition, the construction of new homes in settlements "
harms the chances of achieving peace,
" said the NGO.
MP Mossi Raz, from the left-wing Meretz party, a member of the governing coalition, also criticized the announcement.
"
The settlements are immoral and illegal and endanger our relations with the Palestinians and the world,
" Mossi Raz denounced on public radio.
Read also: West Bank: in Ariel, the inhabitants no longer see themselves as settlers
The “
Council of Yesha
”, the main organization representing settlers in the West Bank - which Naftali Bennett once chaired - for its part lamented that building permits for Israelis were presented as linked to housing built for Palestinians. "
The strengthening of the Jewish presence in the heart of the homeland should not depend on building permits for the Arab population
," said Yossi Dagan, one of its leaders, according to a statement.
About 475,000 settlers live in the West Bank, where 2.8 million Palestinians also live. Israel's colonization of the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem, illegal under international law, has continued under all Israeli governments since 1967. It has accelerated in recent years under the leadership of the former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His successor Naftali Bennett has been at the head of a motley coalition since mid-June ranging from the radical right to left-wing parties supporting the freeze on colonization.