In a statement, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s office said the new construction plan “comes as part of a return to the normal life in Judea and Samaria [West Bank].” According to the statement, more than 2,000 settlement units are ready for immediate construction.
“The rest are in various stages of development,” it added. Last week, Israeli authorities approved construction of 3,066 Jewish homes in East Jerusalem and West Bank. Roughly 500,000 Israelis now live in more than 100 Jewish-only settlements built since Israel occupied the Palestinian West Bank and east Jerusalem in 1967.
The Palestinians want these areas -- along with the Gaza Strip -- for the establishment of a future Palestinian state. International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as "occupied territories" and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity on the land as illegal.