Israel approves plans for 3,400 new homes in West Bank settlements
Israel’s government has moved forward with plans for over 3,400 new homes in settlements located in the occupied West Bank.
Around 70% of these homes are slated for construction in Maale Adumim, situated east of Jerusalem, while the remainder will be built in nearby Kedar and Efrat, south of Bethlehem.
A minister stated that the construction is a response to a recent deadly Palestinian attack near Maale Adumim. The Palestinian Authority has denounced these plans, noting that they are reportedly the first to be approved since June.
Since the 1967 Middle East war, during which Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, it has constructed approximately 160 settlements, housing roughly 700,000 Jewish residents. These areas are considered illegal under international law by the vast majority of the international community, although Israel disputes this classification.