October 10, 2017 - 4:44 AM
JERUSALEM - Israel is set to advance plans for nearly 2,000 housing units in West Bank settlements next week, including 30 homes in the flashpoint Palestinian-majority city of Hebron.
The Civil Administration's planning committee announced Tuesday that it will review plans for 1,844 units in Jewish settlements across the West Bank during next week's meetings.
Most of the plans are in the preliminary stages, including the first expansion of the Jewish settlement enclave in Hebron since 2002. Nearly 900 units are set for final approval, including 459 houses in Maale Adumim, a major settlement east of Jerusalem.
The Palestinians and most of the international community consider Israel's West Bank settlement construction illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel disputes this, saying the fate of settlements should be decided in negotiations.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017