Israel advances plans for 1,300 Palestinian W Bank homes

OCCUPIED-AL-QUDS: Israel on Monday advanced plans to build just over 1,300 homes for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, an official said, days after endorsing more than 3,000 Jewish settler residences.

The Civil Administration’s high planning committee gave final approval to 170 homes and initial endorsement for another 1,133 residences for Palestinians, a spokesman for the military body that oversees civilian matters in the Palestinian territories told AFP.

The units approved were scattered throughout a large swathe of the West Bank known as Area C, where Israel exercises military and planning control. On Wednesday, the same Civil Administration committee had given final approval to 1,800 Jewish settler homes, and initial endorsement for another 1,344, after the United States said it “strongly” opposed such new construction in the West Bank. The policy stands in stark contrast to that of US President Joe Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump, whose presidency endorsed Israel’s activity on occupied Palestinian territory.