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Israel approves construction of 1,000 new settler homes in the West Bank

Israel has announced plans to build nearly 1,000 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank, according to an anti-settlement watchdog, further entrenching its illegal occupation.

Peace Now reports that the construction of 974 housing units in the Efrat settlement, south of Jerusalem, would expand its population by 40 percent and obstruct the growth of the nearby Palestinian city of Bethlehem. Hagit Ofran, who monitors settlements for the group, warns that while construction is still at the tender stage, it could begin within a year once permits are secured.

The group, which advocates for a negotiated two-state solution, accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of aggressively advancing settlement expansion while global attention is focused elsewhere.

“While the people of Israel [set] their sights on the release of the hostages and an end to the war, the Netanyahu government is operating ‘on steroids’ to establish facts on the ground that will destroy the chance for peace and compromise,” Peace Now said in a statement.