Israel to Build 160 Housing Units in the West Bank

West Bank, MINA – Israel plans to build more than 160 housing units for illegal settlers in the occupied West Bank.  This plan was issued when Israel prepared to annex a third of the Palestinian territories.

The head of the Wall and Settlement Resistance Committee in Bethlehem (CAWSB), Hassan Bureijia, as reported by the New Arab Tuesday, said the Israeli Civil Administration High Planning Committee has approved the construction of 164 housing units in Neve Daniel settlement in southern Bethlehem.

Bureijia said Israel’s illegal efforts would create a new environment built on Palestinian land in Khader City.

It is located about five kilometers west of Bethlehem and the village of Nahalin.

Settlement construction is seen as a barrier to peace, violation of Palestinian sovereignty, and considered illegal according to international law.

But Israel has occupied the West Bank illegally since 1967 and committed various violations against Palestinian civilians.

At present, there are more than 600 thousand Israeli Jews living in settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, in constructions deemed illegal under international law.

The 1995 Oslo Agreement divides the occupied West Bank into three namely Area A, Area B and Area C.

Area A is under the administration and security control of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Area B administration is controlled by the Palestinian Authority while Israel controls security. Whereas area C is under full Israeli administrative and security control.

Israel originally planned to start annexation of the West Bank on July 1, but the plan was postponed. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)