Israel approves 153 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank

The Israeli ministry of army on Monday has approved plans to build 153 new settlement units in illegal West Bank settlements.

Israeli Occupation Authorities (IOA) approved tens of settlement units in at least four settlements in the West Bank, in areas that include Jerusalem, southern Bethlehem, and the Jordan valleys.

According to the Peace Now group, the move marks the end of an informal construction freeze in the Palestinian territory that lasted 18 months.

Peace Now said on December 28 that Israel was working to revive and extend plans for new settler houses in the contentious area of the occupied West Bank known as E1.

In a report it said was based on government data obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request, the group said the housing ministry was seeking to build 55,548 units in the West Bank — including two new settlements — of which more than 8,300 housings would be in E1.