Israel Approves Six Master Plans for Settlement Expansion in West Bank

Ramallah, MINA – The Israeli occupation authorities have approved six master plans for the expansion a number of colonial settlements in the West Bank, including the construction of two new settlement neighborhoods, said the PLO’s Wall and Colonization Resistance Commission.

Moayed Shaaban, the head of the commission, said in a press statement that a total of 543 housing units will be built for Israeli settlers under the new master plans, to be built on a total area of 1,188 dunums of Palestinian land, WAFA reported on Sunday.

He pointed out that the first master plan targets the Ramallah and Nablus provinces of the West Bank, and that it includes the building of a entirely new neighborhood with 212 new housing units in the settlement Rahalim, illegally built along Nablus-Ramallah road.

The second master plan targets the major expansion of the Israeli settlement of Mevo Yericho in Jericho province, where a new neighborhood with 181 new housing units will be built for Jewish settlers an area of 533 dunums of land, Shaaban added.

Another master plan, he added, targets the expansion of the Vered Yericho colonial settlement, in Jericho province, where at least five new housing units for settlers will be built on an area of two dunums of confiscated Palestinian lands.

Other of the approved master plans target the expansion of the colonial Israeli settlement of Ton Omarim, illegally built on Palestinian lands in Hebron province, where 68 new housing units for Israeli settlers will be built on an estimated area of 26 dunums.

In addition, said Shaaban, five new housing units will be built for settlers in the colonial settlement of Etz Efraim, in Salfit province, while 32 new housing units will be built in the colonial settlement of Nokdim in Bethlehem province under the approved master plans.(T/R3/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)