Israel plans to build cities for Haredim, Druze in the West Bank, media reports

Israel plans to establish four new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank during US President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, Israeli media has reported.

According to a report published by Israel Hayom newspaper, the plan includes establishing a Druze settlement and a Haredim settlement, turning strategic settlements into settlement cities, expanding control of regional councils to include open areas between settlements, improving infrastructure in the fields of transportation and energy, and establishing Arab municipal authorities to replace the Palestinian Authority (PA).

According to the newspaper, the project aims to encompass the maximum area with the least number of Palestinian residents.

The plan comprises improvements to the infrastructure; including power plants, highways and railways, to make the illegal settlements “an integral part” of the occupying state. The proposals include establishing new cities in the West Bank and transforming settlements such as Kiryat Arba and Efrat into cities with direct government support and huge budgets.

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