Israel starts building 1,650 settler units

The construction of 1,650 new settler units has started on the occupied Palestinian lands since the end of a partial freeze in Israeli settlement activities in September.

Figures compiled in a new report by the Israeli group Peace Now show that in more than two-thirds of the cases, building work had begun on the foundations for new units, with work being carried out in 63 separate settlements.

During 2009, construction work began on 1,888 new housing units, the report said, citing data from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.

“Had the construction continued at the same speed without the freeze, work would have begun on 1,574 units during the 10 months of the moratorium,” Peace Now said.

“In the six weeks since the end of the moratorium, the settlers have managed to start construction on a similar number of units.”

The report was published just hours before a meeting by Israel’s Cabinet to discuss a US incentives package designed to persuade Tel Aviv to place a new partial freeze on settlement activities in a bid to salvage stalled direct talks with the Palestinians.

A source close to the negotiations said the proposal would involve a 90-day settlement freeze in the occupied West Bank but not in east al-Quds (Jerusalem).

It would involve freezing all construction started since the end of the partial moratorium on September 26.