Israel to approve 3 illegal outposts in West Bank 

The Israeli government will be approving up to 5,800 new illegal settlement units next week and legalising three illegal outposts near the illegal settlement of Eli, in the northern occupied West Bank

Two of the three illegal outposts already received approval on Wednesday from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he announced the construction of 1,000 new settler housing units that will be “immediately advanced” in the illegal Eli settlement, where four settlers were killed.

The Higher Planning Council in the Civil Administration, which is controlled by the occupation army, will discuss on Monday the development of 5,800 illegal settler units across the occupied West Bank, including the three illegal outposts, which were originally allocated for agricultural purposes but will now be used to house Israeli settlers.

The settlement development projects include two sets of plans to build 407 housing units in the illegal outposts of Nof Harim and Hayovel, and a further 347 units in the nearby Palgei Mayim outpost, located near the settlement of Eli.

However, the settlement plans have yet to receive final approval.

Mateh Binyamin Regional Council chief, Israel Gantz, who welcomed the move, told the Times of Israel: “If every time a Palestinian murdered Israelis we built 100 housing units, then the terror would quickly stop since the purpose of terror is to chase us away.”

He added that the Israeli occupation army needs to raid Palestinian cities and kill or detain Palestinian men to reduce the threat to illegal settlers.

Estimates indicate that about 700,000 settlers are living in 164 illegal settlements and 116 illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank. The United Nations considers all Israeli settlement activities illegal.

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