Israel says 4,000 settler homes could be approved in occupied West Bank

Project would be biggest advancement of settlement plans in two years

The West Bank Jewish settlement of Efrat. Israel is set to advance plans for the construction of 4,000 settler homes in the occupied West Bank. AP

Israel is set to advance plans for the construction of 4,000 settler homes in the occupied West Bank, the interior minister said on Friday.

If approved, it would be the biggest advancement of settlement plans in two years.

Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, a staunch supporter of settlements, tweeted that a planning committee would convene next week to approve 4,000 homes, calling construction in the West Bank a “basic, required and obvious thing”.

Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported that the Civil Administration, a military body, would meet on Thursday to advance 1,452 units and that another 2,536 units would be approved by Defence Minister Benny Gantz.

The Defence Ministry referred questions to Cogat, the military body in charge of civilian affairs in the occupied West Bank. Cogat did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and it has built more than 130 settlements there that are home to about 500,000 settlers. Nearly three million Palestinians live in the West Bank under Israeli military rule.

Palestinian protesters run for cover as Israeli forces fire tear gas during clashes in the West Bank . AFP

The Palestinians want the West Bank to form the main part of their future state. They view the expansion of settlements as a major obstacle to any future peace deal because they reduce and divide up the land on which such a state would be established.

Most of the international community views the settlements as illegal. The US is opposed to settlement growth because it further erodes the possibility of an eventual two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Israel’s current government is split between parties that oppose and support settlements. As a compromise, it has ruled out any major peace initiative or any move to formally annex parts of the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a former leader of the main settler council, is opposed to Palestinian statehood.

Israel approved the construction of 3,000 settler homes in October despite a rebuke from the US. Authorities have, however, paused some projects following strong US opposition.

Settlement construction can only be approved after a long bureaucratic process and it was unknown how soon construction crews would be able to break ground on the 4,000 homes if they get a green light.

The process also provides the opportunity for Israeli officials to pause or delay such projects.