Israel adds more than 4,000 new homes in settlements

The Civil Administration’s High Planning Subcommittee, which operates under the authority of Israel’s Defense Ministry, advanced Thursday plans for the construction of 4,427 new West Bank settlement housing units. Out of the 4,427 units, 2,684 homes received final construction permits. The other home plans were moved a step forward on the way to final authorization. All in all, the committee advanced 25 urban-construction plans across the West Bank, both inside larger settlement blocs and in small, isolated communities.

The 25 plans also include the legalization of three wildcat outposts: Mitzpeh Dani, Givat Ha-Bustan and Givat Oz V’gaon. Mitzpeh Dani was established in 1998 following the killing of Danny Frei in the nearby Ma’ale Mikhmass settlement. Givat Ha-Bustan is located near an older wildcat settlement named Negohot. Givat Oz V’gaon is a nature reserve with an education center that was constructed without permit after the 2014 kidnapping and murder of Israeli youths Gil-ad Shaer, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Fraenkel. Its approved plan includes the authorization of housing units and also for the construction of a 180-room hotel. Lauding a tweet on the legalization of Mitzpeh Dani, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked said that it was a “day of celebration for the settlement movement.”