Israel reportedly planning 48,000 new homes in West Bank

[azurnoir]

Israel is planning on constructing some 48,000 new housing units in Israeli West Bank settlements, according to leaked transcripts involving government officials published by an Israeli daily Tuesday

The new units, which do not count some 15,000 new homes planned for East Jerusalem, would make up nearly 1/6th of the 279,000 tenders for units across the country, according to Yedioth Ahronoth, which cited conversations between officials in the Housing and Finance ministries.

The report, which could not be independently verified, comes amid growing international pressure to cease construction in settlements and amid country-wide housing crisis that is compacted by rising real estate costs and a dearth of accommodation opportunities — particularly for first home buyers.

Officials at the Housing Ministry were unavailable for comment.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-reportedly-planning-48000-new-homes-in-west-bank/#ixzz3SmaTBoDo

[Jefferson23]

1. No need for the Housing Ministry to comment, it is obvious what their plans are today..same

as always. The WB for their state, and at best, land swaps where Israel keeps
the most valuable resources..fuckers.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

2. When is someone going to force Israel to stop this insanity? These absurd policies are putting us in serious danger.

[Mosby]

3. building houses puts us in danger?

That's some funky logic right there.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

5. How's the empire, mos?

[guillaumeb]

4. Every illegal house, every illegal settler on Palestinian

land represents a nail in the coffin of a peaceful solution.

Israel is systematically stealing the water, the cultivated land, and any land it feels is strategically necessary to prevent the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.

It has been doing this since 1948 and will continue to do it, in defiance of International Law, until the US stops its patronage of Israel and its defense of Israel's continuing violations of law.

Any Palestinian resistance to this state policy of land theft is called terrorism. Any Israeli counterattacks are called self defense. The US/Israeli alliance makes a mockery of International Law.

This news, and any like it will of course be ignored by the "defend Israel no matter what" crowd, and the US corporate media will say nothing.

[Israeli]

6. 40% Increase in construction in 2014

Summary of the third Netanyahu government: A substantial increase in construction starts, planning and tenders – specifically in isolated settlements and the most disputed areas in terms of the chance for two states.

A. Construction Starts - 40% increase in construction starts. 68% of the new construction is in settlements east of the outline proposed by the Geneva Initiative, the areas most challenging for the two-state solution.
B. Tenders– A decade’s (at least) record of tenders in the settlements and East Jerusalem. Tenders for 4,485 residential units were published in 2014 alone.
C. Plans – The third Netanyahu government promoted an average of 460 residential units per month, mainly in isolated settlements, double the number promoted by the previous government.

A. Construction Starts

According to Peace Now count:

In 2014 construction of 3,100 residential units began in the settlements; 2,671 permanent structures and 429 caravans and light construction structures.

In addition, 165 public buildings (kindergartens, educational institutions, synagogues, etc.) and 92 industrial and agricultural structures were built.

9% of the construction – 287 residential units – occurred in the illegal outposts, while the number of settlers therein, according to Peace Now estimates, comprise only 4% of all settlers.

This demonstrates an increase of 40% compared to the respective period last year.

For the full report - click here

For map and more click here :
http://peacenow.org.il/eng/Construction2014

[bemildred]

7. I guess they think they are running out of time or something. nt