Israeli media: Government planning thousands of new settlement units

Israel’s Channel 2 revealed on Sunday evening that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to build 2,000 new illegal settlement units in the occupied West Bank.

The Times of Israel reported on Monday that Netanyahu’s office has so far refused to confirm or deny the story, but added that a source in his office “said Netanyahu had ordered the approval of about 1,000 new units in East Jerusalem — about 400 in Ramat Shlomo and 600 in Har Homa.”

However, “The source added that Netanyahu would advance road-building projects in the West Bank, saying they would also ‘serve’ Palestinians.”

If the television report were also true, this would mean 3,000 new units are being planned.

The Channel 2 news report claimed that Netanyahu met last Wednesday with leader of the right-wing Jewish Home Party Naftali Bennett, Housing Minister Uri Ariel and Ze’ev Hever, who heads the company developing the illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. During the meeting, Bennett reportedly convinced Netanyahu to pursue the settlement expansion.

According to the Times of Israel, the settlement plans “would include building 12 new roads in the West Bank, establishing three new parks, student villages, the possible post-facto approval of illegal outposts and refurbishing the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron.”

Furthermore: “The list also includes the building of a promenade in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc south of Jerusalem in memory of three teenagers kidnapped and killed in the area by a Hamas cell on 12 June, Eyal Yifrach, Gil-ad Shaar, and Naftali Fraenkel.”