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Israel approves more than 1,300 settlement homes in occupied West Bank

Israeli construction ministry said it published tenders for 1,355 residences for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank amid reports that Tel Aviv was expected to move forward with constructing thousands of new houses this week.

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The 1,355 new Jewish homes are to be built in seven settlements, according to the ministry statement.

Israel has plans to build more residences for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, a government ministry said, adding to those announced in August by the new ruling coalition.

"Tenders for 1,355 homes in Judea and Samaria have been published," a construction ministry statement said, referencing the biblical names used widely in Israel for the West Bank.

The new accommodation adds to the more than 2,000 residences which defence sources said in August would be authorised for settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Final approval is expected from the defence ministry this week for those homes.

The new Jewish homes are to be built in seven settlements, according to the ministry statement.

Palestine to hold an emergency meeting

Earlier on Sunday, Hagit Ofran from the anti-settlement group Peace Now said a committee is set to meet on Wednesday to approve 2,800 units deep in the occupied West Bank.

The Jerusalem Post newspaper has also said the Israeli government intends to approve the construction of more than 3,100 units in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank this week.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Sunday condemned Israeli plans to build new settlement units in the occupied West Bank.

"The settlement programs announced by Israel put the world, especially the United States, in front of great responsibilities to confront the fait accompli being systematically imposed by Israel," Shtayyeh said during a cabinet meeting in the city of Bethlehem.

The Palestinian premier said President Mahmoud Abbas will hold an emergency meeting later on Sunday “to launch an international campaign to curb the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.”

Construction accelerates

Turkey also condemned Israel on Saturday over its plan to construct new illegal housing units in various Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

On Friday, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said the US was “concerned” about the housing plans.

About 475,000 Israeli Jews live in settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Six-Day War of 1967 and exercises full administrative control across much of the territory, where more than two million Palestinians live.

Israeli colonisation of the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem has continued under every Israeli government since 1967.