Israel to build 112 new homes in occupied West Bank

Israel has given the green light for the construction of 112 new homes in a settlement in the occupied West Bank despite a moratorium on the expansion of settlements.

Israeli Environment Minister Gilad Erdan has declared that the new homes will be constructed in the Beitar Ilit settlement near Bethlehem, AFP reported.

In November, Israel announced a 10-month moratorium on new building permits for settlers’ homes in the occupied West Bank but Tel Aviv has repeatedly disregarded it by approving plans for the expansion of settlements.

The international community considers all Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian lands as illegal.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has put the renewal of talks with Israel on a permanent freeze due to Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem Al-Quds.

However, following an Arab League call to resume US-mediated ‘peace talks’ between Israel and the Palestinians, some PA officials have expressed interest in resumptions of indirect talks despite reservations about continued Israeli settlement expansion.

Most Palestinians though, are reported to be fiercely against returning to talks with the Israelis citing the regimes flagrant disregard to international demands and even their own commitments on settlements and other relevant issues.

The UN has also repeatedly called on Tel Aviv to stop what it calls “illegal settlement expansion.”