Israel advances settlement plans despite Trump plea

Israel pushed forward with the plans as it also marked 50 years since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War which began its continuing occupation of the West Bank.

JERUSALEM // Israel has advanced plans for more than 3,000 homes in West Bank settlements this week, despite US president Donald Trump’s call to hold back on such projects as he seeks ways to restart peace efforts.

Israel pushed forward with the plans as it also marked 50 years since the Arab-Israeli War, fought from June 5-10 in 1967, and which began its continuing occupation of the West Bank.

A total of 3,178 housing units were advanced in a number of different settlements, the Peace Now NGO that tracks settlement growth said on Thursday.

They are the first new settlement announcements since Mr Trump’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories last month, when he tried to encourage both sides to return to the negotiating table.

Mr Trump has called on prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold back on settlement building for now, but the right-wing Israeli leader has been under intense pressure from settler leaders.

The powerful settler movement wields heavy influence in Mr Netanyahu’s right-wing governing coalition.

On Tuesday, a defence ministry planning committee advanced 1,500 units, while more than 900 more were added on Wednesday, Peace Now said.

In a separate process, 688 homes were advanced by the committee late on Wednesday and will now go out for a 60-day public comment period during which objections can be filed.

The plans are at various stages in the process and the units are in a number of settlements across the West Bank.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas condemned the plan for the new housing units.

More than 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, including in annexed east Jerusalem.

They live alongside some three million Palestinians.

Settlements are considered illegal under international law and are seen as a major obstacle to peace and the so-called two state solution -- the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Israel blames Palestinian incitement and intransigence for the ongoing conflict.

While the majority of the planned homes are in pre-existing settlements, some will be built in the first new official settlement in some 25 years, Peace Now said.

* Agence France-Presse