Israeli decision to allow Palestinians to build in Area C spurs skepticism

Palestinians perceive the Israeli decision to allow them to build 1,000 residential units in Area C with skepticism, as they believe it is designed to mislead the public so as to construct new settlement projects in the West Bank.
A child looks on as a Palestinian family checks their belongings after Israeli machinery demolished their house located within Area C of the occupied West Bank.
A child looks on as a Palestinian family checks their belongings after Israeli machinery demolished their house located within Area C of the occupied West Bank, where Israel retains full control over planning and construction, near the village of Halhoul, north of Hebron, on June 17, 2021. - HAZEM BADER/AFP via Getty Images
Ahmad Melhem.jpg
Ahmad Melhem
@ahmadme44502893

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israel recently approved the construction of more than 1,000 housing units for Palestinians in Area C in the West Bank, which accounts for about 61% of the West Bank and is subject to Israel’s full security and administrative control.

The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth paper reported on Aug. 11 that Defense Minister Benny Gantz made the decision to authorize the construction. According to Palestinian sources quoted by the paper, the decision was then communicated with the Palestinian Authority (PA) through the Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian.

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