Israel is apparently pushing ahead with building settlements in the West Bank

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Jewish settlement in the West Bank

Photo: AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP

According to an Israeli human rights organization, Israel is continuing to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank.

According to the Israeli non-governmental organization Peace Now, the planning committee of the Israeli civil administration for the Palestinian Territory finally approved the construction of 2,791 housing units on Thursday.

The planning committee issued a provisional permit for 1,636 additional residential units.

"The approval of these construction plans in the settlements is a slap in the face not only to the prospects for peace but also to the possibility of some future development of the Palestinian economy," it said in a statement.

USA are against the expansion of housing units

The decision comes ahead of an expected visit from US President Joe Biden.

Biden wants to travel to Israel in the next few months, according to media reports as early as June.

A spokesman for the US State Department said just last week: “We are firmly opposed to settlement expansion, which is increasing tensions and undermining trust between the parties.” Israel's settlement expansion “severely damages the prospect of a two-state solution «.

When Biden visited Israel in 2010, then as Vice President, Israel announced construction plans for the Ramat Shlomo settlement in East Jerusalem.

This led to a diplomatic scandal at the time.

more on the subject

• Shirin Abu Akleh: Al Jazeera reporter shot dead in West Bank

• Journalist shot dead in West Bank: Israel offers Palestinians joint investigation

Israel conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Around 600,000 Israelis live there today in more than 200 settlements.

In 2016, the UN Security Council called these settlements a violation of international law and called on Israel to stop all settlement activity.

The Palestinians want to establish their own states in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

The approval of the thousands of additional housing units comes amid rising tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.

The well-known journalist Shirin Abu Akleh, who worked for the Arabic television channel Al Jazeera, was killed on Wednesday during an Israeli army operation in the West Bank.

Several deadly attacks had been carried out in Israel in recent weeks.

slue/dpa/AFP