Israel Mulling Steps To Facilitate Construction Of Settlements In West Bank - Reports

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government is discussing a series of steps that could facilitate the issuance of permits for the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the Israel Hayom daily newspaper reported on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th January, 2023) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government is discussing a series of steps that could facilitate the issuance of permits for the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the Israel Hayom daily newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The government's plan includes approving the construction of 18,000 new housing units in the coming months, as well as the creation of a separate entity to approve the construction of non-residential complexes, according to the newspaper.

The adoption of this plan could cause the population of Jewish communities in the West Bank, which Israel refers to as its Judea and Samaria area, to rise by hundreds of thousands within a few years, the report said.

Relations between Israel and Palestine have been adversarial since the founding of Israel in 1948. Palestinians seek diplomatic recognition of their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity, and builds settlements in the occupied areas despite objections from the United Nations.