Thursday, September 24, 2020

Netanyahu approves large-scale construction in Judea and Samaria

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday evening ordered a meeting to be held immediately after Simchat Torah of the Supreme Planning Council of the Civil Administration, with the aim of approving extensive construction in Judea and Samaria.

Arutz Sheva has learned that Netanyahu has approved the promotion of more than 5,000 housing units in dozens of localities, after freezing construction planning in Judea and

Samaria since last February so as not to jeopardize the peace agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

In recent days, there have been contacts between the heads of the local councils in Judea and Samaria and the prime minister. The settler leaders demanded an end to the freeze and even threatened to protest widely against Netanyahu, which could put him in a difficult political situation.

Earlier this week, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, said that "Netanyahu's test is in issuing the building permits in Judea and Samaria. The people of Israel expect full sovereignty to be applied as promised by the prime minister in three consecutive elections, but while sovereignty is not applied, a national government should take steps to strengthen settlement and prove that the national government is committed to Israel and to settlement in Judea and Samaria."

Following the eight-month freeze, Dagan sent a clear message to Netanyahu: "We will not accept a de facto construction freeze. I call on the Prime Minister to order now the convening of the Supreme Planning Council and the release of this cork that stops all settlement." (INN)