![Image from October 2012, showing the work being done at the time to expand the Israeli settlement of Harmoun Hanatsave in Gilo, south of Jerusalem city [Mahfouz Abu Turk / ApaImages]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/gilo-settlement-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Israeli occupation authorities are to build three new Jewish settlements on Palestinian land in the occupied Jordan Valley, Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed yesterday.
Haaretz said that the Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Jewish National Fund (JNF) had released their plan to build new settlements and the expansion of existing ones in the occupied Jordan Valley.
The plan allows for 10,000 more Jewish settlers to move into the occupied region.
It also reported that there are 20 Israeli Jewish settlements in the Jordan Valley with a total population of 4,500 Jewish settlers, noting that the Israeli government plans to triple this number.
According to the newspaper, a settlement called Anichai was approved early this year to house settlers evicted from the illegal outpost of Amona, citing it as the first new settlement to be approved in the Jordan Valley in years.
Quds Press said that the current Israeli Housing Minister Yoav Galant is one of the main supporters of the plan.
Read: Settlements watchdog warns of accelerated Israeli land seizures