Israel Approves Thousands of Building Permits in the West Bank Despite US Pressure
Israel’s nationalist-religious government has approved plans to grant thousands of building permits in the occupied West Bank, despite US pressure to halt settlement expansion. The US sees the settlements as an obstacle to peace with Palestinians. The plans for approval of 4,560 housing units in various areas of the West Bank were included on the agenda of Israel’s Supreme Planning Council that meets next week, although only 1,332 are up for final approval, with the remainder still going through the preliminary clearance process.
The Conflict
Most countries deem the settlements, built on land captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, as illegal. Their presence is one of the fundamental issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinians seek to establish an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as their capital. Peace talks that had been brokered by the United States have been frozen since 2014.
Netanyahu’s Coalition
Since entering office in January, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition has approved the promotion of more than 7,000 new housing units, most deep in the West Bank. It also amended a law to clear the way for settlers to return to four settlements that had previously been evacuated. In response to Sunday’s Israeli decision, the Palestinian Authority said it would boycott a meeting of the Joint Economic Committee with Israel scheduled for Monday. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, after Israel’s withdrawal of soldiers and settlers, condemned the move.
Jewish Settler Groups
Jewish settler groups welcomed the announcement. “The people have chosen to continue building in Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley, and that is the way it should be,” said Shlomo Ne’eman, mayor of the Gush Etzion Regional Council and Chairman of the Yesha Council, using Israel’s biblical names for the West Bank.
The Future
The approval of thousands of building permits in the West Bank is a controversial move by Israel’s nationalist-religious government. The US has been pressuring Israel to halt settlement expansion, which it sees as an obstacle to peace with Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority has said it will boycott a meeting of the Joint Economic Committee with Israel scheduled for Monday in response to the decision. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, condemned the move. Jewish settler groups welcomed the announcement. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and whether peace talks will resume.
Conclusion
The approval of thousands of building permits in the West Bank is a controversial move by Israel’s nationalist-religious government. The US has been pressuring Israel to halt settlement expansion, which it sees as an obstacle to peace with Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority has said it will boycott a meeting of the Joint Economic Committee with Israel scheduled for Monday in response to the decision. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, condemned the move. Jewish settler groups welcomed the announcement. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and whether peace talks will resume.